Temptation of the Dark Side
by BuffaloSoldia115
Summary: Within Fujimi Academy's walls, there resided a young boy named Akio Jin. He may have had a potentially flourishing future ahead of him but yet he could not forget the past and his sworn oaths. His past was kept in secret away from the prying eyes and ears of many. In grievance, he was able to continue lead a normal life until the ashes of the past caught up to him and the world.
1. Chapter 1: Disturbance

**Here is what my OC means.**

**Akio=Bright Man, Hero, Manly**

**Jin=Tenderness, Gentleness**

**(To all new and old readers, this story is going to undertake in some tune-ups within the next few days. Some things will change but it's too make the story a little more as should we say...Sensible. To be honest, when I wrote this story I never had the plot all thought out. As it progressed, I just thought over it over time and developed the story and left in some parts that I didn't really like. I've had some help however...)**

* * *

Akio Jin, a seventeen year old high school student of Fujimi Academy, in his third year, who has dark hair, was about five foot eight, had light red eyes, and was a rather silent, yet smart and creative individual. One thing that really makes him differ from his fellow students is the fact he was born as a Force sensitive individual, meaning he was different from any other normal human, giving him an edge in physical activity however, there was one disadvantage. He is able to sense the emotions and thoughts of other people, even if he tries to block them out. Reason being is, if an individual is connected to the Force, then they can feel the energy and flow of life surrounding them.

There were two kinds of Force practitioners, Sith Lords and Jedi Knights. He had experienced both methods of training. The Sith were rather aggressive, and trained through methods of torture and hatred, teaching the apprentice selfishness, while the Jedi's training would consist of compassion, teaching the apprentice selflessness. Another major difference between the two was, the Sith held onto their emotions and uncontrollably excelled in them, while Jedi were to let go of emotion and feeling through training in control, but yet however discourages it's suppression.

Akio, throughout his life, had experienced the training from both sides, making his emotions internally conflicted within him, even though he doesn't show it. He takes on more of the Jedi role, as he cares more about others than his own well-being.

Throughout his time in school, he had always been quiet about his past, and NEVER, showed his true colors to anyone, solely because of his fear of people's reactions.

From the face of the earth, Jedi Knights have disappeared from people believing they were evil, and to the lack of belief in the old traditions, being drowned by modern society. What happened to the Sith Lords?

No one can really say. Although the war that dwelled on between the two groups, it was the Jedi that had acted as a part in maintaining peace and justice around the world then one day...It had all ended. The practiced religion appeared to have faded away and their symbolized weapon, the lightsaber, have too been destroyed. The mystery still had dragged on for thousands of years of how the lightsaber came to be and who developed but no one, not even Jedi or Sith knew the answer.

All anyone knew is that they existed and they could be built. Lightsabers however have been feared by millions and have been afraid of how this special type of sword could be created so as a result, the lightsaber disappeared from society's view, never to be found among illegal weapon trades around the world.

One of the secret Jedi still living among modern society is Akio's father, Jedi Master Juro Jin.

Akio's father has too been quiet about his Jedi powers but, he's the one who's been with him since the beginning. He has seen the struggles of his son, and has saved him countless times from the temptation of evil, and taught him everything he needed to know on how to go down the right path as a Jedi Knight, secretly practicing lightsaber use and powers in the Force.

* * *

Akio had never always been a silent person. In fact, he was once the most happiest individuals filled with pride and passion. Being in the third and final year of High School, all that had changed on an unfortunate, unspeakable day before the beginning of his second year and after his finals in the first.

He had been rather famous in his time in Fujimi Academy. For one, he was considered a legend on his academic level, surpassing expectations of both the teachers and students alike, making it among the top five in the exam results when compared to multiple school's across Japan.

Although he couldn't express his part in the dead Jediism religion, he was still able to contribute with the swordsmanship he had learned from his father.

He has participated in the Kendo Club as an assistant and demonstrated in his great swordsmanship by using his skills he had gathered over the years in his experience in lightsaber combat and applied it so he may be able to become an efficient duelist.

When using a lightsaber, he had learned the ways of many forms but the forms he had been most favorable upon were Forms III and V. Form III allowed him to master the techniques of defense, to give him time to discover the habit of an opponents fighting style while Form V gave him the strength he needed in order to break through an opponents technique.

Many elite swordsman on the Kendo club, even the team's most delightful captain, Saeko Busijima, haven't been able to surpass the quality and elegance of his technique but Akio wasn't planning on becoming part of the team as a member but had instead, helped them win more tournaments and improved their sword techniques.

Sure his name was highly respected all around the school and people would become inspired from his own influence and actions but his own preference appeared to have revolved around one person. He may have been associated with Saeko Busijima and the rest of the Kendo team but he only remained truly social to someone who he had been friends long before his name was a popular name and well known.

Mizuki Muto...Blue eyes, brown hair, close to about five foot three. Who had a rather timid personality towards people she was unfamiliar with but when she got to know people better, she became more friendly and expressive towards them.

She too was sensitive towards the Force and has known Akio for a majority of her life, living as another resident in the care of Akio's father, Juro, learning to harness the power of the Force to study the way of the Jedi just like Akio. Some could say that both her and Akio had something more occurring between them than a highly structured friendship and bond. Maybe they did...

Maybe that's why Akio became the silent person he was in the second year. Mizuki was not even present for the opening ceremonies, nor for the rest of the year. When concerned students around the school asked him what happened, Akio would only plainly respond, trying to hold in his shattered feelings.

"...She's gone." He would tell them.

After that, his life turned gloomy and never really talked to anyone, ever. Not even his close friends he has made at the Kendo Club. The only thing he would do ever was, complete his school work to the majority of his ability, and practice his swords techniques and form alone during the day, whether if it was during lunch or after school...He did it alone, continuing this for the rest of his time in High School.

* * *

**September 2012**

**Fujimi Academy**

Akio was sitting in his bio-chemistry class, he would normally be a focused student, listening and observing all the facts that the teacher was laying out however today, his mind was wandering, and he blanked out, with his head still facing the front, while attempting to listen very closely to the lesson.

Through the Force, he could feel grief emotions coming from someone in the school. A boy with spiked black hair and brown eyes, close to five foot seven, and being a student, he wore the regular school uniform. Takashi Komuro.

In his mind, he could see Takashi sulking on a stairwell. He tried to search for the cause of the sadness, and it appeared to revolve around a friend, Rei Miyomoto, who was a slender girl, with long brown hair, with red-brown eyes. The force showed him visions of Rei, with a another boy named, Hasashi Igou, who had grey hair, and brown eyes, who was not only Rei's girlfriend, but Takashi's friend as well.

"AKIO!"

That was the screaming of his teacher, Mr. Ito, which snapped Akio back to attention. The teacher's voice was mixed with annoyance and concern. Akio stood up, and everyone around him tried not to stare at him, as he silently scanned the room.

He didn't hate them, nor did they hate him however, something inside of Akio wished that he could just be a normal human being. Due to his rather 'Silent' nature, his fellow students got the wrong idea, and Akio's reputation was degraded. He was never always silent, he used to be so cheerful in his first few years at Fujimi Academy and people loved him.

"Akio." His teacher signaled him to pick up his bag and leave his books. "Out." He began to do as his teacher instructed him. He took one blank glimpse at everyone sitting silently. Everyone didn't want to know what would happen if they were to make Akio mad. There were those certain individuals who took a shot at looking at Akio, but were instantly petrified by Akio's blank, yet dark look.

_Hmm…I did it again. Oh well. _The blank Akio thought.

He began to walk down the hallway, then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I need to talk to you."

It was Mr. Ito, who just came out of class, telling his students not to talk about Akio.

"Alright."

Akio turned around, and looked straight at his teacher, who was holding his hand behind his back, and stared at him with the same blank expression.

"This is the third time Akio, mind telling me what's going on?"

Akio didn't want to admit to him that he was a Jedi so, he attempted to turn around.

"Your father called."

This stopped him from even turning, or even his teacher leaving his eyes.

"He's finally told me about what kind of special people you are and what kind of gift your family has."

Akio's father and have become close associates ever since the mysterious vanishing of Mizuki Muto and Akio had the feeling through the Force that he could trust him.

"I'm not a bad person." Akio murmured.

His teacher leaned closer, and started to whisper.

"There's nothing wrong in being a Force sensitive person and expanding those gifts to be a Jedi. I understand, it must be difficult, right?"

"Especially when I feel…too much." Akio admitted. "And the world doesn't see me as righteous so I have been unable to show who I truly am or what I can do."

"But you have already done plenty in the past. You should be proud." Mr. Ito smiled. "Now, I need you to take a walk, relax, then you may return to my class."

Akio was about to turn around again, but his teacher stopped him once more.

"Your father dropped this package off. Listen..." He handed Akio a small rectangular card-boarded, sealed box, which Akio kindly accepted and put it in his bag. "I know that you are very intelligent and respectful. You have shown me that for all the hard work you have done. I truly hate to see you sad. I hope that after tomorrow, this chapter in your life will end, and you will begin a new one. Maybe not now but surely one day, you can re-vitalize your own people. Okay?"

With that, Akio gave his teacher a bow and walked away from his teacher down the opposite ends of the hallway. He inspected the package, there was a note that read: _"Use it for the greater good son, and remind yourself why you fight."_

Five minutes into the walk, he heard the sound of metal banging in the distance, which was coming from outside. He tapped himself into the Force, and located the source of the sound. It was the front gate, with someone banging himself against it, and he could see a couple of teacher's inspecting the disturbance. There was Mr. Teshima, Ms. Hayashi, and a couple of other teachers. He witnessed Mr. Teshima attempting to grab the trespasser, and pull him back against the gate, then suddenly the person bit him on the arm, and he squealed in pain, and slowly, the life that was once in him, left him.

Inspecting if he was alright, the teacher's looked in shock at the dead body, then suddenly Mr. Teshima woke up, got up, grabbed Ms. Hayashi, and bit her on the neck, causing blood to spurt, and making one of the other teacher's faint, while the other ran away. After that, it was Mr. Teshima eating Ms. Hayashi's dead body.

Akio quickly sprung back to reality, and make a sprint down the hallway to head towards his locker.

He got to his locker, quickly opened it, and pulled out his own wooden Bokken that he had always used to train with for the past year.

The PA system suddenly came on, it was the principal, who announced there was an emergency situation taking place in the school, and they had to follow teacher's instructions, and evacuate. The Mic was hit, and caused it to up-ring. What followed was the principal begging for someone to stay away from him, then cries for help, then total silence.


	2. Chapter 2: Choice

A few second passed, Akio had just held his Bokken in his right hand. Silence continued to overtake the entire school, suddenly, there was a burst of screaming that consumed the school hallways, and a large amount of students began to take up space in the hallways. He was trapped in the middle, he had to think fast before he was pushed over or something. He looked forward, there was a window, he looked right and left.

_This large wave of panic won't let up soon. _He thought.

With that, he made a giant leap into the air, and kicked off the wall, smashing himself through the window. He landed in near a gym courtyard area, where some of the students dressed in gym uniforms have already been turned, as their skin had changed to a gray toned color, their eyes lifeless, and their sloppy walk. He had wished he had his lightsaber weapon but that weapon was left in parts at home. It was all part of keeping quiet, not exposing his Jedi identity.

_Wait...no._

There was not time to think about that, this was real life, not a horror movie, or a video game, he had to do something otherwise he was going to be eaten like Ms. Hiyashi and yet, a panic ran through his head...Panicking that he may have seen this type of thing before.

He tried to jump up, but there were too many surrounding him for him to land anywhere without landing on them. He concentrated, then used the Force to unleash a repulsion of energy to push them back and have the impact from their fall kill them.

"That did it…" He mumbled to himself.

They were pushed back, however, not enough to kill or harm them. This was his opportunity to escape. He ran through the courtyard, trying to get to the exit, avoiding all of his foes around him, suddenly he felt a tug on his leg.

"H-h-h-elp me. Can't feel…legs."

It was a girl in a gym uniform, she was on the ground, seriously injured. Akio thought for a second it was his fault that the force repulse he just performed seconds ago spread far enough to knock down this girl, or someone had already bitten her, and she was slowly turning.

He silently began to reach for the girl's hand but wasn't focused on the dangers around him as he gave himself a high hope that he could help people but Akio couldn't notice a zombie fell on her back, and began to chew against her back, and within seconds, there was three of them on top of her, eating her alive.

Akio held his head down in despair and let go of the girl's hand, without saying a single word and ran off He could sensethat someone was watching him. He looked up, and from a handrail, were three familiar faces. Takashi Komuro, Rei Miyomoto, and Hisashi Igou were looking down at him, and Akio could see that it was from the management building they were standing. He still had to escape.

"WAIT!" He heard Rei cry out.

He completely ignored her cry, the exit was right in front of his eyes.

_"Is this what you really want? To be alone?"_

That was a voice in his head. He remembered the voice, it was the voice of his grandfather, Hiroki Jin, who was also once a Jedi Master. Suddenly, a figure of his grandfather began to form in front of him, which caused the un-dead students to slow down around him as if time was coinciding in his aid.

"You know that no one will accept me for who I am."

_"How do you know?"_

"Master, we both know that everyone believes it was the Jedi who committed evil, and the Sith were left in this world to dominate."

_"What about Mizuki? Was she-?"_

"NEVER. SAY. THAT. NAME. AGAIN."

_"I'm sorry Akio, it was unjust of me…I have you for many years and I have witnessed your happiness and your sorrow. I'm here now."_

"What should I do grandfather?"

_"Remember your training, follow your instincts, and you will find the correct path."_

With that, his grandfather disappeared, which left Akio in an angry mood. He knew he had to control himself, and there were zombies surrounding him. The Force began to take over, and that caused the un-dead around him to lift off the ground, he held out both of his arms, he remembered that he trained with the Sith, and learned the ability of Force Lightning. As he shocked the zombies, he could here the voice of his former Sith Master. _"Use your aggressive feelings boy! Let the hate flow through you!" _Along with that, came an evil laugh, that's when he pushed the zombies away, in an electrifying display. He then looked at the multiple burn marks against the ground, and there were no bodies around left from the designation.

"That worked…"

The sun was beginning to go down, and evening was approaching. Suddenly, a rush of pain came to his head, he felt both sadness and anger coming from another side of the school.

_"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"_

That was the screaming of Rei. This brought back many memories of a Jedi companion he once knew, but was forced to kill for reasons he didn't want to think about that the moment.

He suddenly knew what he was going to do.

* * *

"Why...why...?!"

A distraught, crying, Rei Miyomoto sat near the dead body of Hisashi Igou, barricaded with Takashi Komuro on the roof, who had just killed Hisashi, who had been infected, with a baseball bat to defend Rei.

"He would have bitten you if I didn't do that." Takashi said.

"I didn't ask you to save me! And how would you know that anyway?! Are you some expert?!" Rei responded. "I would have been willing to get bitten." She admitted, lowering her voice. "Better to die, than surviving, and doing SOMETHING LIKE THIS!"

"I don't think Hisashi would've wanted that for you." Takashi assured.

"How do you know that Takashi...?" She was still mourning, then came up with an answer. "Oh I know! You must've hated Hisashi, right? It's because he was DATING ME!"

Takashi began to walk away, toward the barricade.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Rei asked.

"It's obvious you don't want me around anymore...I'll go downstairs and smash them." Takashi responded.

He began to slowly undo the barricade.

"Wha...What are you talking about?" She stood up, and was concerned for what Takashi was about to do. "You can't take on any of them by yourself!"

Takashi wasn't listening, and attempted to make a move over the barricade.

"NO STOP IT!"

Rei grabbed a hold of him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it! I REALLY DIDN'T MEAN IT!" She cried.

Takashi looked blankly at her.

"Please, please stay with me. Don't leave me!" Rei begged, with tears in her eyes.

Takashi then got down, and comforted Rei with a hug.


	3. Chapter 3: Emotional Fight

Akio couldn't stay out in the open where he could be surrounded again, and using his powers in the Force for the first time in a long time have really taken some energy out of him however, it didn't mean he was unable to keep moving. As he moved further and further away from the walking dead, he looked up to his destination, and that was the roof where Rei and Takashi was, he can feel their presence up there, and he can still feel the pain coursing through both of them.

He leaped into the air, and grabbed the window sill, then pulled himself up once more, which was enough to make him go on top of the roof, but still one story below Takashi and Rei. He looked up, and saw Rei talking on a cell phone.

"DADDY!" She screamed into the phone.

He continued to observe Rei, listening into the phone, suddenly her face expression changed dramatically.

"No Service? BUT I JUST CALLED HIM!" Rei yelled.

Akio didn't want to show himself, again, he was afraid of what people would think of him. He hasn't spoken to Takashi since the summer before, and he wondered what Takashi would think if he showed off his strength and power of the force.

"Takashi…" Rei was crying once more. "My dad…he didn't even know it was me at all…he didn't even know...!"

Right next to Rei's sadness, he could sense a hint of annoyance and anger coming from somewhere else in the school.

* * *

In another part of the school, that was below where the Jedi was, down the hallway was another pair trying to survive. Kohta Hirano, and Saya Takagi.

"Takagi, I know it's against school rules, but do you have your cell phone on you." Kohta asked.

"I'm a straight A student…Besides, even if I had one, who would I call?" Saya responded in question.

"The police maybe?" Kohta suggested, unsurely.

"You're so stupid! Based on the situation, people obviously called them already! And yet, we haven't heard a single siren!"

From Saya's statement, it made Kohta had his glimmer of hope, wiped from his face.

"So, now you know…"

"You think this is happening all over?" Kohta asked.

"GEE! You think? I'm sure the police have had to deal with this already! And yet, look how things are!" Saya responded.

"Maybe we should call the Self Defence Force." Kohta said.

"I wouldn't expect much from them." Saya groaned.

"I know that they can't conduct any defense or public safety operations but-"

"That's not what I meant!" Saya interrupted.

"Then what did you mean?" Kohta asked.

"They're just like the police!" Saya gave Kohta a light push. "What do you think would happen if people were eating people in all the cities out there?!"

Kohta stared blankly at her, listening.

"There are one hundred and thirty million people, and how many of them do you think work for the Self Defence Force? And what if the same things have been happening inside the Self Defence Force?"

From that, they heard a zombie groan on the staircase, and right before their eyes was one of them.

"Come on! We gotta go!" Saya said, running down the hallway.

"Oh..ok." Kohta responded.

_Jesus…the only reason I have to stay with this dumbass, is because Komuro is in here! I'm such a nice person. _Saya thought to herself.

* * *

Aiko was about to leap up, but he was feeling something else. Somewhere else in the school, was the doctor's office, which had storage for medicine, and bed's for people to rest, and it was ran by Shizuka Marikawa. He could see a male student being surrounded by the un-dead, who broke through the glass, into the office. One got a hold of him, and started to chew his arm, and Shizuka could only watch.

"I'm sorry, but what was your name again?" Shizuka asked.

"What…?"

The student was suddenly on the ground, fully, continuing to be bitten by the zombie, and then a female student with straight, long purple hair, with a triangle fringe at the front, and she was equipped with a wooden Bokken entered, and killed the zombies in the office. It was Saeko Busijima.

She bent down and put her right hand on the student's shoulder, who was now screeching in pain.

"I'm the captain of the Kendo Club, Saeko Busijima. What's your name kid?"

"…Ishi Kasu."

Ishi began to cough harshly.

"Ishi, you've done a great job in defending Doctor Marikawa, I commend your courage." Saeko complimented. But then…she had to lay out his fate. "You do know what happens when you get bitten, do you want your parents or family to see you like this? If the answer is no, then I'll end your life as painlessly as possible, but I've never killed anyone before."

Saeko stood back on her feet.

"WAIT! What are you going to do?" Shizuka asked.

Saeko held out her hand and said: "You're the school doctor, I got it, stay out of it!"

She then put her hand on her wooden sword, and prepared to strike.

"This young man is going to die with honor, and I'm gonna make sure that he does!"

Ishi got his wish granted, as Saeko struck his head, killing him instantly. He was then launched back to reality.

"I have to learn to control that…" Akio mumbled to himself.

He then jumped up, to the roof, but he held onto the bottom of the handrail, and watched Takashi and Rei's movements. They were getting a fire hose ready, with Takashi holding the actual hose, and Rei turning the handle. Takashi told Rei to turn it, and it caused Takashi to struggle with it, not being able to point the hose at his target. The hose fire even spread to Akio's range, so he reacted by pulling himself up, and launched himself into the air where, he landed on the roof, right beside Rei.

His landing was so silent that, Rei didn't even notice him, plus she was more focused on Takashi, who got control of the hose, and managed to take down the zombies coming through the barricade. Akio ran forward, and used the Force to push some of the un-dead that remained. When it was over, Akio turned around, to notice Rei and Takashi looking at him. He leaped away...

"WAIT!" Takashi screamed.

"Why does he keep running from us?!" Rei questioned with concern.

"Do you see what he just did?!" Takashi exclaimed.

"Yes! I saw it!" Rei nodded. "He held his hand out and pushed them."

"Wait, do you honestly think he's one of them?" Takashi asked.

"There's no doubt..." Rei surely stated. "A Jedi..." She gasped. "Hisashi admired their kind...It's too bad...They're gone."

Takashi only groaned at the mention of his dead friend. "Well it looks like they've risen again, and just the right time."

Rei wasn't amused with Takashi's sarcasm and frowned.

"I'm sorry...I know, it's terrible...What did Hisashi say? 1966? The Purge of '66?" Takashi then asked Rei.

"Oh so you do remember..." Rei murmured. "All of them killed right in the middle of that war in Vietnam, right when they were fighting for what was right."

"I guess the rest of the world didn't agree." Takashi sighed.

He put his hand on the baseball bat that Rei was holding for him and briefly stared into each others eyes.

"Let's go." He said.

Rei gave him a nod, then went back towards the inside of the building, while they fought off a couple of zombies. When they got inside, Rei asked where they were gonna go, and Takashi answered her question by saying to go to his house, get some supplies, and meet up with other people.

"Yeah." Rei was in agreement. "Now that I know my dad's okay ,we should call your house to make sure that your parents are ok."

"Waste of time, nobody's home. My dad won't be back in town 'till next week, and my mom's a school teacher so she won't be home until five. Besides...they got on my nerves."

Rei laughed at Takashi's statement.

"They're parents, it kind of comes with the job."

* * *

Saya and Kohta were watching from a distance some of the zombies, and Saya was wetting cloths in a bucket in a sink, and threw it at one of the zombies, which it showed no response to the cloth, and Kohta watched while holding his newly built nail gun he had built earlier.

"What are you doing?" Kohta asked.

"Keep quiet…" Saya scolded softly.

She threw another wet cloth against a locker, causing the zombie to turn, and continue moving against the locker. Saya spouted out some observations.

"They don't even react to anything that hits their bodies! And their senses are dead, they only respond to sounds! Also, they might not be able to see, otherwise they wouldn't bump into the locker."

"What about heat?" Kohta asked.

Saya got her bag, and stood up.

"Let's go." She said.

"We're going outside?!" Kohta questioned.

"You think we're hanging around here?" Saya responded, in question.

"Well…I kind of hate walking." Kohta admitted.

"And that's why you're so fat! You need to put down the Cheetos, and exercise!"

Saya then noticed that it was too late, she spoke too loudly, causing some of the zombie to become aware of their presence, and walk down a nearby stairwell. It caused them to retreat, and head to the faculty room, and from there, Kohta shot the zombies with his nail gun.

"If you keep shooting them, how will we learn about them?" Saya asked.

"Well...you could help me fight them to." Kohta responded.

"YOU STUPID FAT IDIOT! That's what I have you for!" Saya yelled.

"The magazine is almost empty..." Kohta said.

"YOU THINK THAT'S MY PROBLEM! RELOAD THE DAMN THING!" Saya screamed.

Kohta pointed behind her and said they were right behind her, causing her to scream. Nearby, the scream was heard by the two pairs Rei and Takashi, along with Saeko and Shizuka, in addition to Akio, who was almost near the entrance of the academy. Both pairs and Akio headed towards the scream, and as they were running, the sound of a drill echoed.

From outside, Akio watched as Saya was trying so hopelessly to kill the dead person that was trying to eat her. While staying away from the group, Akio decided to use the Force to throw the zombie away from Saya, lifting it into the air, in the middle of the faculty room, where there were other zombies walking. He watched Rei, Takashi, and Saeko take the zombies down, and when they were finished, he was still lifting the zombie in the air, which caused some chatter to occur among the group.

He was done, and then crushed threw the zombies against the wall and the impact on the head was able to finish off in a splat. After that shocking display of killing a zombie in a rather unusual way, he decided to try and slip away, but Takashi caught eye of him, then called out his name and he then froze. As Takashi began to walk towards the door, his grandfather's words ran through his head.

_"Is this what you really want? To be alone?"_

"Why do you need to run from me? Why?" Takashi asked.

Akio was silent for a couple of seconds, watching inside as Rei looked at him, while Saeko was trying to comfort a shocked Saya, and Shizuka was standing there, only watching.

"I don't want to hurt anyone...I don't want anyone to think of me wrongly." Akio answered. "You know already Komuro."

"Ho-"

"Know that I am connected to the Force and know that I've been trying to stay low for a long time so that people may not think of me wrongly."

"We don't." Takashi assured.

Akio searched Takashi's feelings, and he knew that he was giving him his most sincere honesty.

"Alright Komuro."

He followed him inside with his Bokken, where Saya was hugging Saeko, and crying with all her might.

_Too much emotion in this place... _Akio thought.

Introductions and reunions with Akio were held off. He could however sense that Saeko was happy to see him again and he felt almost the same way and his name didn't go unnoticed in the past few years so the others had known who he was.

Sometime later, they moved to another place near the faculty room, which was a staff room, where they arranged some boxes around, in hopes of finding some supplies. Saeko declared for a break, and everyone agreed. Kohta went to check on Saya, who was currently washing her face, then Akio sat down on the ground, then he heard Kohta freaking out happily about her wearing glasses.

"Here..."

He looked up, and saw Rei handing him a water bottle. He kindly accepted it, and said "Thank you" to her. He drank from the bottle while Takashi then asked Shizuka about the keys, which made her skim through her purse.

"Are you sure your car is big enough to fit all of us?" Saeko doubtfully asked.

"Now that I think about it..." Shizuka said.

Akio could sense in her thoughts that it was only a four seated car. _Not gonna say it aloud. _He said in his mind.

"So where are we going exactly?" Shizuka asked.

"We're gonna make sure our families are alright then..." Takashi paused, and noticed Rei staring horrifically at a TV on the wall, which was playing a news report.

Saeko turned up the volume. It was describing something about the government taking measures into the outbreaks occurring around the city.

"Outbreaks? What do they mean Outbreaks?!" Takashi questioned.

They changed the channel to another news station, and they saw a woman reporting facts about the loss of ten thousand people, while behind her, police were pushing over on medical bed, with two wrapped bodies. After a short time, the bodies sat up, and the police put bullets in their heads, then what followed is the camera being dropped, and the screams of the reporter, then suddenly caused the TV channel to spas out.

"So much death..." Akio said plainly, while standing up finally.

"Komuro had told me you are a Jedi." Saeko told Akio. "Is it true?"

"Hmm...yes I am." He finally admitted.

"What's wrong with Jedi?" Rei wondered. "I see nothing wrong! They didn't deserve to be killed off!" She said, in defense of Akio.

"Let me explain something to you!" Saya started. "Jedi were wiped out because, they were considered to be dangerous and traitorous evil doers!"

This caused Akio to growl softly, and some books and files began to lift off the ground.

"But that's not what I believe." Saya said.

This relieved Akio, and the books dropped to the floor.

"I'm concerned for the dead." Akio said.

"I know..." Saeko spoke up. "You are able to feel spirits, and sense emotion around them, am I right?"

"That is correct. And right now around the school, I sense pain, fear, and disappointment. Everyone who has died, even Hisashi, are disappointed of what happened to their bodies after they departed."

This actually shocked everyone, Rei and Takashi mostly.

"I can't control it, it's all around me." Akio said. "I've been hiding it for years Saeko."

He looked down at himself, but didn't shed any tears. Saeko put her hand on his shoulder for comfort.

"It's so great to finally speak with you again." Saeko smiled.

"I feel the same." Akio sighed. "I do wish it could have been under more peaceful circumstances."

"I'm honored." Saeko said. "To be in the presence of a Jedi Knight is an opportunity that can never be passed. I'm glad that it was you who I could meet."

Everyone else in the room, stared as Akio and Saeko embraced in a light hug.

"Aww..." Rei expressed quietly.

"May I be excused for a moment?" Akio asked, separating from the embrace.

Everyone nodded, and he went into the corner section where Saya was previously washing herself. He took out the package, and when he opened it there was a small lightsaber, along with lightsaber parts, sealed in another plastic cylinder container.

He then took a look lightsaber that was in the package. It was an average designed lightsaber, with a round bottom, black stripes over the hilt, and a light metallic body.

He looked over the parts, and the blue crystal inside it, and immediately recognized it as his own lightsaber that he hasn't seen for a while.

The already complete lightsaber caused memories of someone he didn't want to think about to flood his mind...He remembered the plea...The pain.

_"I'm sorry Mizuki..."_

_"AKIO! DON'T PLEASE!"_

When the sound of a lightsaber stabbing through someone sparked in his mind, he was brought back to himself, and noticed Saeko looking down at him.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"I'm fine." Akio assured her.

"Is that...?"

Saeko bent down and looked at the lightsaber he had in hand.

"My father has given me this weapon. He wanted me to be ready for something..." Akio explained. "However, for the safety of the group, I am going to resume use of my Bokken...For now."

Akio carefully placed the lightsaber and parts inside his backpack and he and Saeko went back into the room with everyone else, who were all watching another news reporter on the TV, recommending all survivors to stay home, and they'll bring more coverage as it becomes safe to report it from the location where it was occurring.

"That's all! Why didn't they tell us anything else?!" Takashi furiously questioned.

"They're afraid of panic." Akio said.

"Panic?" Takashi asked.

"When panic occurs, chaos will overtake the city, causing the balance of order shifting." Akio said.

"...I'm impressed." Saya openly admitted.

"This is no contest for intelligence, there is death at every corner, and we need to react quick enough to survive." Akio said.

"But, they're gonna stop it right? They have to!" Rei said.

"Well, that's not gonna happen!" Saya layed down the facts. "This is a pandemic, there's nothing we can do!"

"The entire world may be infected with this disease." Akio stated.

Saya then made this a comparison to the 1918 Spanish Flu, and Swine Flu.

"Um...not to be disagreeable but, this is more like the black death of the fourteenth century." Shizuka said.

"One third of the European population died." Saya added onto the facts. "You're smarter than you look." She then complimented.

"How did the outbreak end?" Takashi asked.

"There are many theories, it usually stops when too many humans die. There wouldn't be enough people to spread the disease." Shzuka answered.

Kohta looked out the window. "But now all the dead people still moving start attacking you."

"I wouldn't be so sure if the Human Race has a future." Akio groaned.

"Don't get your hopes down too low!" Shizuka said. "Besides, the weather's going to be hot soon, they may not be able to move if their flesh decomposes and become skeletons!"

"But how long does it take for that to happen?" Saeko questioned.

"Well..." Shizuka began to explain, looking at her fingers. "In summer, some parts of the body can become skeletal within twenty days but it takes considerably longer in winter." She looked away from her fingers, than came to a conclusion. "Couple months...that's not too terribly long!"

"You're kidding! She's not smarter than she looks." Saeko frowned.

"These dead corpses are still moving, this may not imply." Akio told them.

"Exactly..." Saya groaned.

"Let's first see if our families are okay, then we can find somewhere safe to hold out for a while. Teams. We need to team up." Saeko proposed.

Everyone held up their equipment and weapons, ready to go.

"Let's try and pick up survivors whenever we can." Saeko suggested.

"I concur." Akio agreed.

"Okay...Let's do it." Takashi said.

"What's the best way out?" Rei asked.

"Sorry to break it to you but we're going to have to go out the front." Saya said.

"LET'S GO." Takashi declared.

Akio and Saeko stood by Takashi's side while Rei followed Saeko from behind and Kohta trailed behind Akio while Saya and Shizuka follwed along. The faculty door room opened. Kohta fired his nail gun and pierced two's zombies head and put them down while Takashi engaged one lone zombie with his baseball bat and Akio felt the need to use his Force power to throw the last zombie in the vicinity against the wall to kill it.

The group then came close towards a stairwell, and Saeko layed out everything they needed to know about engagement.

"Do whatever you can to avoid a fight, got it?"

Saya added something. "Remember, they're sensitive to sound, so keep it quiet. They're also strong enough to rip through regular doors, and once they've got a hold of you, they're gonna tear you to shreds. So be careful."

A girl's scream was heard in the distance, that sounded fairly close. They looked, and saw a group of students on a stair landing, who were hesitating to fight off the zombies. Kohta gave them support by firing a nail into one of the zombies heads. Saeko jumped off a stairwell hand bar to the lower staircase, and smashed down on one of the zombies. Takashi and Rei cleared out the nearby staircases, then Akio finished the job by jumping down and used both of his feet to kick the zombies off the stairwell down to the ground below.

"Uh...thank you..." One girl with blue hair said to the group, frightened.

"Keep it down..." Akio responded. "Anyone bitten?" He asked.

"No, no one." The same girl assured.

"It looks okay, we'll be alright." Rei told them.

Takashi climbed down to the stair landing.

"We're getting out of here! Do any of you want to come with us?" He asked them.

"Uh...sure." The girl with blue hair spoke up once more.


	4. Chapter 4: Uneasy Feelings

The group of students that Takashi's group had saved previously followed them, although caught by surprise from being saved by the school's most well known student, Akio Jin, there wasn't any time to discuss who was who anymore, everyone was only focused on survival and not popularity and recognition although they admitted the strength and courage that their saviors had presented.

They continued walking down the hall. Later on, the group was viewing the front entrance from a stairwell, and there were many obstacles that they have to overcome first however.

"There are sure a lot of them…" Takashi pointed out.

"From what I can tell, they only react to the sounds." Saya said, presenting her previous observations.

"Why don't you go down there and prove that theory?" Takashi asked.

"Hmph…" Saya responded.

"Even if we keep going inside the school and we get attacked, we're gonna be stuck." Saeko said.

"We need someone to go through the front gate, there's no other choice." Rei suggested.

"Someone needs to go down there and test Takagi's theory." Saeko said.

"I will go." Akio was quick to say.

He slowly began to walk down the stairs, but Saeko grabbed his right arm.

"You look uneasy, I'm not sure if you're up to the task." Saeko told him.

"Still having some spirit trouble?" Saya questioned.

Akio simply stared down at the zombies that were just down the staircase.

"I can hear them suffering...I can hear their cries. None of them want themselves to remain in that horrid state."

Saeko still didn't want Akio to go down there, even if he really wanted to but she knew Akio all too well and knew that he was blunt in everything he said and did. There was no stopping him.

"Very well..." Saeko sighed, letting go of Akio's arm.

"No, stay! I'll go!" Rei spoke up.

"It's okay...Let him handle it." Takashi said.

Akio looked back at the other students they previously rescued and saw the hope glowing in their eyes, putting their faith into him, and giving Akio a gaze of encouragement.

The voices of the decaying students continued to haunt his mind as Akio bravely took it step by step, down the stairs, putting himself in the middle of the un-dead crowd of once lively students, while gripping his Bokken tightly. Akio widened his eyes as one zombified male student groaned at eye level but simply limped past him.

_No...Their sense is weak. Takagi IS right however, they cannot see me. _

Akio looked towards a door and simply raised his hand and used the Force to make contact with the door and hit it telepathically so create a little thump, resulting in the un-dead being drawn towards the door. Without turning to face his friends, he held up his hand and signaled by wagging two fingers to come towards him. His friends followed Akio and he went up and grabbed the door handle and gently pushed the glass door to minimize any sound created.

His fellow peers followed quietly and quickly, while remaining undetected to the un-dead, move towards the door. However, an unanticipated hiccup occurred in the escape and one student who was hesitantly still trying to make his way down the stairs towards the door, unintentionally and unconsciously collided the metal rod he was using as a weapon against the rail, causing the sound to erupt throughout the school, gaining attention to every single one of the zombies who craved the flesh and blood of the living.

"RUN!" Takashi yelled.

Akio ran past all of his friends and pointed his Bokken forward and landed smacking the wooden sword on the two zombies in front of them, while there were still many more to plow through.

"WHY COULDN'T WE HAVE JUST HAVE JUST TAKEN CARE OF THE ONES WITHIN RANGE?!" Saya questioned.

A zombie startled her and was just about to grab Saya, but she noticed the zombie being pushed back without anyone striking it, but there was Akio with his hand pointed at her, and she could tell that he used his power in the Force to fling it away.

"Less talking, more HITTING!" Akio exclaimed.

Saeko used her own Bokken to take out nearby targets, as well as Rei with her mop handle. Kohta stood hesitant with his nail gun and knew that there too many targets in front of him to take out. Takashi and Akio charged past him and used their weapons to take them down.

"KEEP MOVING!" Akio yelled.

Everyone kept on moving, intending to reach the bus. Akio ran behind Takashi and Saeko up front, taking out zombies by Rei's side. When he was about to reach the bus, he looked back to see that one of the other students have fallen, and was surrounded by the zombies, being eaten alive.

"Tokosu!" The blue haired girl cried.

"NAOMI! RUN!" The boy on the ground yelled.

Akio grumbled lightly and ran back. He charged Force energy into his hand and sent the zombies who were chewing on his flesh, flying, but it was however to late, as the physical damage sustained was enough to make him shut down.

"He's gone...I'm sorry..." Akio murmured to Naomi.

Naomi cried by Akio's side but yet Akio felt as if she wanted to stay by Tokosu's side forever and just like that, before he could even do a thing, she threw herself towards a group of them, and died. Akio didn't even bother to shout or plead, he was too late to save them now.

Shizuka put her hands on her heart and said: "I understand…if the entire world is like this, then I'd rather die with the person I love."

"Oh will you shut up already?!" Saya scolded.

A female zombie then suddenly approached her.

"LOOK OUT!" Kohta said, firing a nail.

"Rude little Otaku! HOW DARE YOU INTERRUPT ME WHILE I'M TALKING! Why would you do that?!"

Kohta spoke while not facing Saya.

"Well…it's because," He turned to Saya, with his eye's sparkling. "I really like your voice."

Saeko was upfront, and took out a zombie. "Nice to see you two are getting along." She said.

Takashi was near the bus, and requested Shizuka to get inside, and put the key in. They all started to get inside the bus, but the only three that didn't get on was Saeko and Takashi, who were standing at the entrance of the bus.

"Let's go, everyone's inside!" Saeko said.

"You go! Ladies first!" Takashi responded.

Saeko only shrugged, and went inside as Takashi told her. She looked back, and noticed Akio was still fighting off the zombies alone, and rather aggressively and efficiently using only his Bokken.

"COME ON!" Takashi called out to him.

Akio heard Takashi's cry and with whatever zombie surrounding him, he took care of them by charging some energy in the Force throughout his body, and twirled himself around at a high speed rate and took out every single one of them with his Bokken and after that, he made his way back to the bus.

"Alright, let's go." Akio said, as he entered the bus, and sat down beside Saya.

"Exhausted yet?" Saya asked.

"It's only begun, there's no reason for any of us to let up. Besides-"

He was then cut off, as he heard cries for help from other students outside. He went to the front to see it for himself, as he stood beside Rei, he also saw a teacher, and his instincts were telling him that there was something bad about him, something he did, and what he may do in time.

"Who's that?" Takashi asked.

"That's Mr. Shido of Class 3A." Saeko responded.

Akio noticed Rei gasp in anger, and he too glared at Mr. Shido.

"Shido…" She scolded.

Akio continued to watch, as Shido was leading students towards the bus, but then he witnessed one of them tumble on the ground. Shido stomped his foot onto the helpless student's face and simply left him there to be consumed by the un-dead.

"Shido..." Akio grumbled. "You will pay the price one day."

* * *

Down the road, where there were cherry blossom trees everywhere for Akio to view, a male student with short blonde hair began to complain about the dangers of moving forward.

"Why do we have to go with Komuro and the others?! You guys are the ones who decided to go back to the city! We should've stayed at the school, and we should have found a safe place. We were better off where we were."

"He's right..." Another boy said in agreement. "I kind of agree with Tsunoda, we should barricade ourselves some-"

Shizuka suddenly stopped the bus, undid her seatbelt, and faced the back of the bus.

"Alright you all, that's enough! I can't focus on the driving with all the yelling!"

"Whatever..." Tsunoda mumbled.

"How about you tell me what you want to do." Saeko said.

Shinoda struggled to say a word, then pointed to Takashi with his left index finger.

"I just can't stand this guy! I HATE HIM!"

Kohta was about to point his nail gun at him, but Saya held him back. Akio had to do something quickly, before something happened, so he decided to use a mind trick on Shinoda. He focused on him, and pointed a finger forward, while keeping his hands down.

"I'm sorry, I don't know you." Akio whispered to himself.

Tsunoda repeated his words.

"There is no reason for us to fight.

He repeated Akio's words once more.

"I will sit down now."

Tsunoda obeyed Akio's words and sat down. The young Jedi smiled at his own work, and everyone became bewildered at what just happened.

"My point still stands! We DO need a leader!" Shido spoke up.

He approached Takashi and Rei.

"Surely neither of you want such a responsibility on your shoulders." He said to them.

"So, you're gonna run for the position?" Saya asked.

"I'm a teacher Miss Takagi and more mature, and all of you are barely in your teens."

He then looked back at Akio, who was sitting quietly and blankly.

"Perhaps the Jedi would like to have a say?" He questioned.

Akio gasped, but it was un-noticeable to the rest of his peers. Shido knew who he was, and Akio knew who Shido was, for now it felt best to keep things calm on the bus.

"There is no say in this for myself. I believe that we need to manage ourselves first." Akio stated.

"Hmm, I see where you are coming from Jin, but someone needs to manage all of us, and I understand that Shinoda was able to control himself, but from the beginning he looked angry." He held out his arms, to try and express his points further. "I can prevent conflict before they even happen, and these brave students that I save will survive! So, what do you say guys?"

The students that Shido saved, began clapping. He turned back to Takashi's group.

"See? A great majority here is in agreement."

Rei couldn't take it anymore, so she made her way to the door with her spear, and hopped off the bus.

"REI!" Takashi didn't want her to leave, so he went to the entrance.

"NO! NO WAY! There's no way I'm staying with him!"

"Oh well...there's nothing I can do if there's no accordance with us." Shido said.

"What do you mean, US?!"

Takashi then hopped out of the boss.

"Komuro!"

Saya was surprised that he even jumped off. Saeko looked out the window from Akio's side, and took the opportunity to ask him something quietly.

"The thing with Shinoda, was it you?"

Akio didn't speak, as he looked out the window, looking at Takashi and Rei arguing.

"Let's just say the Force, can have a strong influence on the weak minded." Akio whispered.

Suddenly, Saeko noticed a speeding bus was drawing near.

"OK! You need to punch it!" She told Shizuka.

Shizuka moved the bus out of the way in time but, the other bus flipped over, causing it to explode, which cut off Rei and Takashi from the school bus, which meant there was no way to get back on now. Saeko hopped off of the bus, and yelled out to Takashi.

"Komuro! Are you okay?!"

Some of the un-dead began to emerge from the flames of the destroyed bus.

"POLICE STATION! MEET UP AT THE EAST POLICE STATION!" Takashi yelled over the fire.

"What time?!" Saeko yelled back.

"Seven O Clock! If not today, then tomorrow, same time!"

The bus then combusted once more, and the blazing walking zombies began to fall. She then scurried back on the bus.

"Looks like we're not taking this freeway anymore." She told Shizuka.

"Ok...I'll find another way." Shizuka said, driving off.


	5. Chapter 5: Doubtful Attacks

Later on…Rei and Takashi had found a motorcycle that they presumed that it belonged to a zombie with a helmet they had encountered earlier. They then decided to use it to navigate the city to get to the east police station however…it was approximately 10:30 PM, which meant that they obviously weren't going to meet up with the others soon. They stopped on a road, looking down at another road, crowded with the undead, walking across the city streets, with buildings that still had lights on.

"I wonder if anyone will come to rescue us…" Rei could only hope.

"Well, they're not." Takashi said.

"WHAT?! Why not?! How can you be so sure?" Rei questioned him.

"Like the helicopter's we saw on the roof of the school, they can't afford to be rescuing us and maybe…they'll never be able to."

"Never? Then what are we supposed to do with no kind of help?" She questioned once more.

Takashi sighed, then asked: "Remember what Akio said on the bus?"

"What about managing ourselves?"

"Yeah, I think he's right. We need to the best we can to survive, that's it."

Rei grumbled, but the only reason she believed Takashi was because it was Akio who said it. She was however, still upset of the fact Takashi hasn't changed.

"Glass half empty, but no glass…you've been that way since Kindergarten!"

"I only told you the truth and besides, Akio got to the truth WAY before I could!"

Their yelling was only drawing attention, as they noticed a group of the un-dead come up from a distance behind them.

"Let's go…" Rei said.

Takashi nodded, then began to drive the motorcycle forward.

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

An hour has passed, and the group back on the bus were now stuck in a road block, that was being managed by the police, who were ordering everyone on the road to not exit their vehicles. Saya and Kohta were sitting down beside each other looking out the window, while Saeko and Akio looked from right beside them.

"I've seen training go by faster than this." Akio grumbled.

"At this rate, we may never get to the bridge before dawn." Saya frowned.

Kohta's stomach then began to grumble.

"SHUT UP! You're so disgusting!" Saya yelled.

"I'm sorry, I've been so hungry." Kohta embarrassingly admitted.

Akio sat back down in his seat then the group then began to hear gunshots coming from outside. Two girls, who Akio found out they were named Taniuchi and Kawamoto, were being frightened by the gunshots. Akio remembers Kawamoto from the stairwell in the school, and he does remember the deaths of her friends, Takuzo and Naomi. And considering those two were a couple, his mind started to tense up a bit.

_There is no Emotion, there is Peace. _Akio thought to himself, thinking about the first line of the Jedi code.

That made him feel slightly better however, he was having second thoughts and realised that, if he had no emotion, then what did that make him?

"It's ok…it's safe in here, its ok."

He turned to see that Shido was comforting the two girls with a hug. He could however sense within the teacher's mind something more than just comforting the two.

"You have nothing to worry about my darlings. There, there, it's alright."

Akio wasn't angry with Shido, he wasn't going to come up and say that he was had perverted thoughts at the back of his mind, he had to play it smart. He stood up, and approached him with his arms crossed, still hugging the two girls, and his friends from his own group watched.

"I hope you know what you are doing, Shido."

"Hmmm…?"

Shido let go of the two and turned to his attention. Takashi's friends began to watch, to see what Akio had to say to him.

"Is there something I can help you with Akio?" Shido asked.

"I have a VERY, very important question." Akio said.

"Alright…I am a teacher, and even outside of school, I am obligated to help my students."

"When the time comes to exit this bus, how will you protect your students?"

"Well…I…I suppose that YOU want to run take the leadership role?"

Akio then looked at Taniuchi and Kawamoto.

"I want to ask you two, do you feel safe within Shido's arms?"

The two girls couldn't find the words, and their hesitation caused them to not speak at all.

"I'm sorry Akio, but are you questioning my authority?"

"Perhaps I am. Do you as a teacher- NO! As a grown man...Do you intend to keep teenagers like us, safe, from all the gunfire, crazies, and living dead that will slowly back us up into a corner in time if we don't move forward carefully?"

"What do you suggest?"

"The order of this country and around the world will fall and break. Sooner or later, the police and army's will succumb to this disease, and the only thing that will keep us safe is…YOU?! I don't buy it."

"BULLSHIT! And WHAT?! We're supposed to trust YOU! A Jedi?!"

That was Tsunoda, who was really more with Shido than against him at the moment.

"So you're saying Mr. Shido is a liar?!"

"I'm not accusing Mr. Shido of lying, I'm accusing him of keeping the truth. The question is, can he?"

"Yeah, what do you have?!" Tsunoda coarsely questioned. "You're lucky you're even alive! It's amazing how one of the school's top students would have cursed powers. WHY ARE YOU HERE?! You should get off the bus..."

"Alright, enough of THIS!" Shido yelled.

Akio could see through the anger exhilarating from Tsunoda and knew that he wasn't going to turn back on his current opinion on him being a Jedi, or about Shido being their light in this new darkness. He decided that he was going to change tactics, as negotiation with him wouldn't work. He could make things easier and use a Mind Trick on him again, but that could lead to some more problems, and present more fear and bewilderment from the other students who are also at Mr. Shido's side. It was time to switch to aggressive negotiations, despite it being much revolving around persuasion through fear, he had to get his point across no matter what he was.

"WHAT ARE YOU...ARC- ARC- LE- ME-"

Akio now had Shido in a neck lock and was depriving him of oxygen as his arm was squeezed around his neck.

"If he's gone, what will you do Tsunoda? What will you do to survive? What will you believe?"

"Uh…uuuuuuuh."

"And I'm not just talking to you, I'm talking to the rest of the group who is with Shido. When you're leader is lost, will you continue standing, or will you fall?"

Just at that very moment, Akio let go of Shido and allowed himself to catch his breath.

"My apologies sir. I just hope that whatever you teach them from now on, you teach them how to survive independently, to make them ready for the dangers ahead without your help."

Shido shook in slight panic for a brief second, then glared at Akio, massaging his own neck.

"You better hope so boy…" He grumbled.

Akio gave Shido a nod, then sat back down at his seat, quietly, and Shido went back to sit down at his seat, near the group of students that trusted him. Not even Akio's friends wanted to approach him at the moment, due to the surprise and shock on their faces, but that didn't mean he couldn't hear their distant chatter.

"That was the most, brightest- Darkest thing, I've ever seen." He heard Saya say.

"He is right though." Saeko said. "How will those who can't fend for themselves adapt after their leader is gone?"

"I just wish he wasn't such a bummer though…" Saya sighed.

"Yeah, but we like him, right?" Kohta asked.

"We're all friends, I'm sure he knows that." Saeko said.

"Well, YOU are friends with him." Saya remarked.

Saeko stared back at Akio and saw him simply staring outside again. She didn't want to leave Akio alone, with an empty seat beside him so, she thought that she would go ahead and sit down beside him.

"You're a clever and honest person Akio, I commend you." She said.

"I only tried to feed everyone the truth. From my perspective, I'm not sure if Shido can really keep his followers alive." Akio responded. "At this rate, they only remain dependent on his every thought."

"I see that your methods can be very persuading! We're all so glad that you came along!" Saeko smiled.

When Akio noticed, he turned and faced her then, threw her a smile back, and went back to looking out the window. "I just wish it didn't have to come down to it..." He murmured with a sigh.

"Something troubling you?" Saeko asked.

"…No. I just."

Akio covered his mouth, and yawned. "I'm just tired. But...I really can't sleep as well as I used to a couple years ago. I do however feel, that tomorrow is going to be a longer day, for all of us, and we can't say for certain that we're going to see Komuro or Miyomoto tomorrow."

"What makes you think you deserve to be shut out all the time?" Saeko questioned. "Tell me...What happened?"

Akio knew what Saeko was talking about...The question...What happened to his friend, Mizuki Muto?

"I...I..." Akio choked. "I...Want to my connection to the Force to be used as protection and hope, not fear."

Saeko looked at Akio, and the way he was beginning to slant to the side, and squint his eyes, he was in no position to share the pain he has been concealing for the past couple of years, but yet he was pushing himself to stay awake. Saeko went as far as to pushing Akio's head down onto her shoulder, which Akio had complied and didn't even bother to resist or say anything in disagreement to it.

"Rest Akio...Rest..." She whispered.

* * *

Takashi and Rei were continuing to drive around the completely transformed city where blood, death, and destruction, have silenced the city completely. All they could do is stare and remind themselves the world that they enjoyed previously, was nothing more than a mere memory, and they were stuck in the new world now, whether they liked it or not.

"There's no one here…" Rei said.

"Did they die, or did they escape?" Takashi wondered.

"But if they died, they would've become them!" Rei said.

"Maybe they went to find others. The ones that are still alive." Takashi suggested.

Rei then noticed a police car front, from around the corner of a building.

"Takashi! Look!" She pointed.

They then gasped with some excitement and relief.

"No licence, no helmet, and a stolen bike. I'm just asking to be arrested." Takashi said.

"What? After fighting so many of them, you're still scared of the police?" Rei asked.

"Well…you got a point." Takashi agreed.

He then accelerated forward but to their disappointment was, the car had a destroyed truck against it, and the officers inside were lifeless.

"You've gotta be kidding me…" Takashi groaned.

Rei got off the bike, took her spear with her, and began walking towards the vehicle.

"Rei! Wait! There's leaking gas from that car, don't do it!" Takashi warned.

"But there could be something in there we could use!" Rei responded.

She stared at Takashi angrily, then said: "What's wrong with you? This is Armageddon, MAN UP!"

Takashi looked away from her, then she inspected the police car. She searched the dead cops, and what she found was, a pair of handcuffs, a night stick, and only one working revolver. The rest of the bullets she retrieved from the cop with the defective gun, and determined that they could still be used.

She brought the items back to the motorcycle, and they looked them over.

"Well…I've watched enough TV, how hard could this be?" Takashi wondered, looking down at the gun.

He picked up the small revolver, and held it in the palm of his hand.

"What's wrong?" Rei asked.

"It's just a lot heavier than I thought it'd be." Takashi responded.

"Well it's the real thing." Rei reminded him.

Takashi upon further inspection, found a way to open the cylinder.

"It can only shoot five times?"

"Takashi, here." Rei said, handing him five extra bullets that had traces of blood on them. "Well, the grip on the other gun was broken, but I think the bullets are still good." She said, wiping blood of her hands.

"Hmph, I'm impressed." Takashi chuckled.

"My dad collects guns for a living, so I've been around them my whole life." Rei explained. "Besides, do you think I would freak out over a little blood now?"

Takashi then put the weapon at the side of his pants, then the two got back on the motorcycle.

"Should we get rid of these?" Rei asked, holding her spear and the baseball bat.

"No, let's keep 'em until we get some target practice." Takashi said.

"Good point. And don't you feel better now that you have something with a little more 'Umph'."

Takashi said nothing else, then continued to drive the motor bike forward. Later on the ride, Takashi was noticing the bike was running low on fuel supply, so he and Rei stopped at a gas station for refueling. However, there was one problem with the certain gas station they were at.

"This gas station is self-service! We can't get gas unless we put money or a card in there!" Takashi said.

"Well…put it in there!" Rei instructed.

"With the money I have, the only thing we're getting out of the pump is fumes."

"You're the worst…" Rei groaned.

"I'm sorry ok!" Takashi yelled, while turning around. "I guess Hisashi would have the cash!"

Rei was shocked of Takashi's choice of words.

"Where did that come from?! When did I compare you to Hisashi?" Rei questioned.

"You said 'I'm the worst' didn't you? Well someone has to be the best! You probably meant Hisashi!"

Rei lowered her eyebrows, angry with him.

"Well I didn't then, but I do now!"

Takashi held out his hand towards Rei.

"What do you want?!"

"Money! I need to borrow some!"

Rei looked away from him, knowing with what she was going to say would make him disappointed.

"I kind of left my wallet in the bag…"

"Jesus! And you're riding my ass?!" Takashi began to walk towards the gas stations store. "Wait here, scream if anything happens."

Rei then stood alone, with her spear in her hands, while Takashi went into the store. Within seconds, she began to hear multiple crashing sounds coming from the store.

"What is he…?" Rei murmured.

When she heard the sound of money coins falling against the ground, she immediately knew.

"He's having a field day, huh?"

She leaned against a wall then thought for a moment. "Come on Rei, stop giving the guy such a hard time." Is what she tried to tell herself.

_I hope Akio's ok, and I wonder how back on the bus…Tsunoda just… _She then thought in her head.

Before she could even react, a thug dressed man grabbed her, and was immobilizing her, with an arm on her stomach.

"Rei? What's wrong?"

Takashi then gasped at the man, holding a switchblade near the side of Rei's neck. The man gave him a crazy laugh, and complimented Rei in a rather inappropriate way. "Hey! You got a hot piece of ass here ya know?"

"You let her go!" Takashi demanded.

"HA! Why would I do that?! You think I would go for one of those zombies? Think again!" The man said, tightening his grip around Rei.

"Man, are you crazy?!" Takashi asked, angrily.

"Crazy? Hell yeah I am! My family became them in front of my own eyes! I had to…had to smash in everyone's heads! My…father, my mother, my grandma and brother, and my little sister too! You think I wouldn't be messed up after that?!"

The thug let out a rhetorical laugh, and Rei found an opportunity to push him off, but she failed to run back to Takashi, and she was back in the hands of the thug, who then began to grope her breasts, making her scream, and all Takashi could do was watch angrily and do nothing. The thug even further, tried to taunt Takashi, thinking that Takashi was Rei's girlfriend or something. Takashi began to walk forward with his bat, but the thug demanded that he dropped the bat, and give him their bike.

"There's no gas in it."

"I HEARD YOU IN THE STORE! Put the cash in the slot, and pump the gas!"

Feeling defeated and having no other options, he did as the thug told him to. He dropped the bat, and put the money in the slot, and inserted the pump into the bikes gas opening, so he could begin pumping.

"So, will you let us go now?" Takashi asked. "You can have the bike but, we still need to see if our parents are alright."

"Shut up! I don't care about your parents! They're gonna end up like MY family."

Takashi was done, and he sealed off the gas opening.

"Away from the bike, start walking!" The thug ordered.

Takashi was going to do what he said but instead, he began to move towards the thug and Rei.

"Don't take another step!" The thug said, swinging his knife.

Takashi looked at Rei quietly and begged to the thug once more.

"Don't you move, or I'll-"

Suddenly, the thug began to choke, and dropped his knife, and released Rei from his grasp.

"What the...?" Takashi gasped.

No one was doing anything, nor was there anyone who was coming to save them. He was suffocating on his own but the question was how he was being choked without anyone physically attacking him. In a moment, the man succumb to the suffocation and lay down on the ground, releasing his final breath before death embraced him.

"OH FUCK...Let's go...Let's go!" Takashi quivered.

"Oh...O-o-okay..." Rei nodded.

Takashi now sat down on the refilled motorbike and Rei sat at the back and held onto him as he accelerated away from the gas station, while oddly, both could hear an ominous sounding breath echoing throughout the nearby areas. Although they thought nothing of it, they could never really guess who was responsible for that thug's suffocation and who had saved them?


	6. Chapter 6: Planning

The morning sun had arisen over Tokonosu. Back at the bus, Akio just shot open his eyes as fast as he could, to make sure that he was still on the bus. Thankfully, he was still there, and he hadn't had anything stolen off of him. He checked the seat beside him to where Saeko was when he fell asleep the night before and saw his backpack and Bokken were placed there, and Saeko gone up somewhere else.

He unzipped the backpack and was relieved to notice that his old friend's lightsaber he had received in that package was still placed inside, in addition to the lightsaber parts for his own lightsaber, but yet Akio looked at the parts and wondered if he would ever use it again, just like his father had said in that letter.

"Good morning."

He looked up at the isle in between the seats and there was Saeko leaning her hands on the seats looking at him. He didn't say a word yet, as he was hearing Shido lecturing the group of students who were on his side about his ideas which included finding a safe place and working together for survival.

"Good morning." Akio greeted back.

As much as Akio did agree with the fact that people need to be guided with the intelligence, strength, and wisdom of a certain individual, he made it clear to Shido the night before, and questioned him if he was to be removed from the equation, how would his followers survive?

"Hirano! Stop!"

He turned to Saya and Kohta and noticed that Kohta was just beginning to wake up.

"Takagi…Morning..." Kohta yawned. "Is it time to get up already?"

"Yes, it's morning and you're drooling."

Kohta wiped the saliva from the surroundings of his mouth, then apologized to Saya. Akio didn't speak as he silently looked outside, with all the crowded people on the street, and the amount of cars that were on the road. He then heard Saya and Kohta's conversation.

"I think we should evacuate to the suburbs." Kohta suggested.

He saw Saya point towards outside the window.

"Cars aren't the only way to get out of here."

Akio could hear in the distance, an airplane taking off.

"The airport on the ocean, you're right!" Kohta said.

"It's far too dangerous to be anywhere in the city. I bet they would try to escape to…some island or some isolated area with strong military presence." Saya tried to think.

"You mean like Okanawa? The American Military stationed there isn't there to fight…OH! But the Self Defence Force is!"

"If the military has taken appropriate measures, then I'm betting Okidu or Qushu should be ok to…If the planes are leaving, then all the flights should be heading to those areas."

"So, you think we should head that way to?"

Akio suddenly jumped into their conversation.

"If we wanted to go there, we should have done it hours ago." He said.

"The area's filled with Self Defense Force and American Military may be managing to keep them under control." Saya explained.

"And do you think they might have adapted a strict policy of letting anyone else in?" Akio asked.

"Most likely." Saya responded. "Especially someone like you if they find you out, maybe."

"Hirano, what would you do in this situation?" Akio asked.

"I'd seclude myself…" Kohta responded, picturing himself playing a first person shooter.

"Kohta, what would happen if this was a worldwide thought?" Akio asked him.

"He's right ya know…" Saya said in agreement. "And also, what if people then made it a rule to keep communities as small as possible in order to survive?" She asked.

Saya then looked back at Shido.

"That's what he's begun to think…but I don't think he knows that himself." She said, gazing upon Shido looking down at one of his female students.

"I can sense his thoughts, and his thoughts may only be for his benefit." Akio said.

"Should I interrupt them?" Kohta asked, gripping his nail gun.

"Forget them Kohta…let them be. For now, let us discuss our own concerns." Akio said.

"I really need to talk to somebody who I can trust…" Saya said, while she thought about Takashi's absence. "I could have talked to Komuro if he were here."

"Am I not trustworthy enough to talk to?" Akio asked.

"She likes Komuro…yeah…that's it." Kohta mumbled.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Saya yelled in defense.

Akio saw Saeko and Shizuka stand up near Saya's seat, then Saya was surprised of the fact that they had heard the conversation.

"What?!" Saya scolded.

"I'm worried about Komuro." Saeko admitted. "I just hope that they can hold out long enough to meet up with us…"

* * *

Rei and Takshi were coming up to a street where the sound of gunshots erupted, and flaming cars filled the air.

"This is nuts! It's like a war!" Rei said.

"And we're front row center for it." Takashi responded. "Dangerous place to be, hold on tight!"

Takashi sped up the bike, and avoided the un-dead as best as he could, in which he was successful. His next obstacle was the living. One with a meat cleaver just missed Takashi and Rei, and they were also fortunate enough for a shotgun blast to miss them, and hit a car instead. They attempted to shoot them a second time, but only took out a zombie that was close to their own range.

"We're not dead!" Rei said with relief. "Why are these guys shooting at us?" She questioned.

"World's gone crazy Rei! We can't trust anyone." Takashi briefly stated.

"Can't…trust…anyone."

As much as Rei hated the idea, she knew Takashi was right. They continued and then they noticed a bridge but Takashi turned away from it.

"The bridge was right there!" Rei said.

"I know, but didn't you see it?" Takashi asked.

Rei took a good look at the traffic rate on the bridge.

"At this rate we won't know when we'll cross. We'll head to Embetsu Bridge, then meet up with the teachers and the others." Takashi said.

Takashi began to accelerate forward once more.

* * *

Shido was continuing to lecture his students, rambling about pride and family while the others watched, thinking how false his leadership was, especially when Shido commented about Rei and Takashi being unfit to be part of their own family.

"This guys a maniac…" Saya said.

"He actually sounds more like a recruiter for a cult." Saeko commented.

"It doesn't sound like it, he is. I mean just look at them, just listening to his every word." Saya responded. "I need to get out of here." She then added.

"Well…I don't think we're going to keep the bus." Akio spoke up.

"Yeah…" Saeko nodded in agreement. "The roads look pretty bad, and we still need to cross Embetsu Bridge and head to the East Police Station to meet up with Komuro."

"Well…you're sure concerned about Komuro." Saya noticed. "Aren't you more concerned about your own family?" She questioned.

"Of course I am, but my father is my only family, and he's at the dojo overseas." Saeko explained. "So the only ones I need to be worrying about is myself and Komuro and…"

Saeko moved her eyes toward Akio without moving her head.

"Aaaaah…I see what's going on." Saya teasefully smiled.

"No, it's nothing like that." Saeko denied in defense.

"Alright, let's get back to business before things get to out of hand. You were saying?"

"Well…I really don't care about anyone else. I mean look at me," Saeko then let out a smile, and confidentially said. "If anyone's going to make out of her alive, it's going to be me, right?"

"Do we not have faith in everyone else's survival?"

She was caught surprised with Akio standing in between the gap way, putting both his hands on the nearby chairs.

"It's not that I...-" Saeko sighed. "I didn't mean to say it in that way it's just...Who can really handle themselves as of now, honestly."

Shizuka stood up from the drivers seat to join in on their conversation.

"But that's why we're all here as a group, right?" She asked.

"I suppose..." Akio shrugged.

"So I want to ask you guys, where do you all live?"

"On the other side of the bridge, same area as Komuro's." Saya answered.

"I'm not nearby. If we were near the school, I would be closer." Akio said.

"Really? Are you sure there's nothing you left behind that was important to you?" Saya asked.

"No…All I really need right now is...In the bag." Akio replied.

"Alright." Saeko chimed.

"But what about your parents?" Shizuka asked.

"My mother is…she's…"

Everyone then understood what he was so hesitantly trying to explain.

"And my father…I don't know..."

Akio then sat down, and turned away from Saeko to face Kohta.

"So Hirano, how about you?" He asked.

"My parents aren't in the neighborhood. But…" Kohta started to blush. "I'd go anywhere as long as I'm with Takagi."

Saya didn't say a word, and just looked at him, with disgust and annoyance expressed through her facial expression.

"So Hirano…is your family close?" Saeko asked.

"Well…my father is a Jewelry merchant, so he's gone to Amsterdam to buy stones. And my mother is a fashion designer to-"

"You expect us to believe all that?!" Saya rudely interrupted.

Shizuka giggled at this moment, then mentioned if it were a manga, Kohta's dad would be the captain of a cruise ship. Kohta kept his smile on his face, and his rather joyful mood.

"My grandpa actually was, and my grandma was a concert violinist."

Saya continued to be annoyed and growled.

"Interesting history." Akio commented.

Shizuka stood up then said that she wanted to come along with the group.

"You sure you would like to remain with us Miss Marikawa?" Akio asked.

"Well…both of my parents passed away years ago, and my relatives live far away. And I probably shouldn't be saying this but, I think Mr. Shido is kind of a douchebag."

The rest of the group then chuckled at Shizuka's last statement.

"So what do we do? I'm actually not familiar with this area." Saeko said.

"We need to check Embetsu Bridge first." Saya emphasized.

Shido was noticing the group, and turned to them to wonder they were discussing. As he then stated that they needed to work together, Saya then told him about her groups plan to split from the bus.

"Well." Shido gave the group a glare. "If that's what you've decided, go right ahead, I won't stop you Takagi. How could I? This is a free country after all. However…" He then stared at Shizuka. "I'm afraid you'll have to remain Miss Marikawa."

Shizuka then gasped, responding to him.

"Losing the doctor is a blow to our current situation."

Shido then straightened his glasses, then continued his request.

"Would you please stay, what do you say? There are students who are relying on you."

Shido began to walk towards the group, specifically for Shizuka. Kohta was the one to stop Shido in his tracks. He used his nail gun to shoot at Shido, and the nail skimmed his check, leaving a mark, and hitting a bus chair in the end.

"You…you shot at me." Shido said, petrified.

"I missed you on purpose…Douchebag." Kohta told him.

"But…you're not a violent student!"

"How many of my fellow students do you think I killed in school yesterday? And I can kill you too! For all THE WAYS YOU MADE FUN OF ME!"

Kohta further explained he was holding back his rage for a long time. Due to the circumstances though, nothing is normal, and there is no need to hold back anymore.

"That's why I'm able to kill now! And I can even kill living people! Starting with the ones who made fun of me!"

Shido backed away, feeling threatened by Kohta.

"I made fun? You don't understand! I always held you in such high-esteem!"

Kohta turned back to his friends, then told them this was the opportunity to go, to hold back Shido from preventing their escape.

Everyone grabbed whatever they had, and leaped out of the bus. Saeko, who stood at the doorway to look back at Kohta, praised his actions.

"You're such a man, I'm impressed." She complimented.

Kohta followed Saeko outside on the city streets and then the rest of the group outside, and climbed an array of stairs up heading upwards towards a bridge above the waterfront. So far, all they could see down the path were nothing but empty roads...Well, not completely empty.

"It's them!" Kohta cried.

Kohta, Saeko, and Akio all stood together...Kohta with his nail gun, Saeko with her Bokken, and Akio also with his own Bokken.

"Ready?" Akio asked.

"Didn't have to ask." Saeko smirked.

So they began their defense. Saeko swung her Bokken by every single delicate swing that she made, Kohta simply aimed at one zombie at a time to nail the zombies in the forehead. Akio stood his ground and preferably, used his own skills with wooden sword to lay killing hits on the zombies. He stayed reluctant to using the Force or pulling the lightsaber he had stuffed in his backpack, as they were in open areas now and he had to be careful of who may possibly witness Akio's Jedi connection.

"Uh guys..." Shizuka shook, becoming nervous. "Maybe we should have stayed on the bus with Mr. Shido..."

"Wait, didn't you say that he was a douchebag?" Saya asked.

"In fact I did..." Shizuka acknowledged. "But Shido isn't the first guy who I was stuck on a bus with..."

"Uh guys...Just to let you know, I'M RUNNING OUT OF NAILS!" Kohta exclaimed.

Akio and Saeko swung their wooden swords and delivered killing strikes to other zombies surrounding them.

"Would you like to borrow this?" Saeko offered, presenting her Bokken.

"I...I really don't fight with hand-to-hand combat..."

"That's fine..." Saeko sighed. "Besides...I'm actually REALLY fond of it."

Saeko looked over to one other zombie and had the full intent of charging towards it to kill it, but, she saw Akio's hand held out and focused on the zombie she was about to strike, and saw the zombie go flying over the bridge.

She gave Akio a little smile before proceeding to attack more of the un-dead, fighting alongside a fellow swordsman, now covering for Kohta, Saya, and Shizuka. Things were looking up as the two were able to lay down their efficiency in their sword training, and take out as many of them as they could. It didn't even take too long for both of them to cover the entire bridge and take them all out...Akio being a big help, with his friends encouraging him to use his Force powers, so it was able to make zombies disappear much more easily, and thankfully no one was really around to witness what Akio had done to aid the fellow survivors.

"Nice going!" Saya complimented.

"I wish I had powers like that..." Kohta wailed in joy.

Then from the side of the bridge, a motorbike hovered above and came landing down onto the road. To their surprise and luck, Takashi and Rei were the ones on the motorbike.

"Over already...?" Takashi frowned.

"For now." Akio said in response.

* * *

The sun was just setting over the horizon and everyone had been exhausted from everything that had occurred that first few days of the zombie outbreak. After the greeting with reuniting with Rei and Takashi, they decided that they would take shelter underneath the bridge they were just fighting on, and make plans to proceed forward.

"I have a thought!" Shizuka shared. "It's been such a long day, how about we call it quits?"

"Call it a day?" Kohta questioned.

"You have a place nearby?" Akio asked.

"Actually...Well, my friends place anyway...My friends flat. It's only a short walk from here."

"Your boyfriends place?" Saya asked.

"No, no, no, no, no, nothing like that." Shizuka shook. "My girlfriend's apartment." She explained. "She is normally away on her job so I was given a key so that I could stop by the place and look after it."

Kohta rubbed his chin and thought about Shizuka's position in what kind of place they may be staying in. "Is it a high rise? Does it have a good view of the surrounding areas?"

"Yes. It's a duplex along the river, there's also a convenient store nearby. And my friend also has a car...A BIG car...The one that looks like a tank."

"Ugh..." Saya spat. "I really don't care about a car...I could really use a shower." She rubbed her hand through her bloodstained hair. "I've never felt dirtier in my life."

"I couldn't agree more..." Kohta dazed.

Saya heard this comment and took is as an offense and kicked Kohta down on the ground in response. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!" She grumbled.

Akio looked at the scene Saya was causing but couldn't resist and shook his head, while remaining focused on the situation. "So what are we to do now? Who can go?"

"I'll go." Takashi declared. "I'll take the motorbike and go with her."

"Okay..." Shizuka agreed.

Shizuka followed Takashi to the motorbike and drove away with her to go and check out the place she had been talking about, leaving Kohta, Saeko, Rei, and Akio by the waterfront.


	7. Chapter 7: Drawn Back

The group arrived at the apartment, and the first thing they were greeted by was a Humvee, as Kohta recognized it as the Military Model II.

"Told you! Looks like a tank right?" Shizuka smiled.

"I see that your friend is no ordinary person." Akio said, crossing his arms.

"You don't say..." Saya murmured.

Rei looked up at the complex's staircase that was blocked by a fence.

"I don't think they can jump over the fence. So we may be able to get a good night's sleep."

"Okay let's-"

Takashi ceased his line of thought and looked up near the apartment complex to see that it wasn't free of the presence of the undead.

"Komuro...? Will this work?"

Saya went up to Takashi to hand him a crowbar, which was something she had been carrying ever since she had found it in the school while with Kohta. Everyone else who had a weapon: Akio and Saeko with their Bokken swords, and Kohta, who was given a standard police grade revolver pistol that Takashi had found while he and Rei were separated from the bus.

"Yeah, this will do..." Takashi nodded.

"Careful." Akio warned. "Let's not take risks here. Cover each other, keep your distance."

"RIGHT..." Takashi nodded in understanding. "LET'S GO."

And so...They fought their way through many zombies who craved for the consumption of their flesh, and was able to safely get inside the apartment that belonged to Shizuka's friend and they were able to take a break.

Everyone's things were set down in a small living room that had a rug in the middle, and two couches made of leather material were placed around the rug. All of the females of the group wanted time to bathe and cleanse themselves from the filth that they had been exposed to in the past few days, so that left Takashi, Kohta, and Akio to give them some privacy, and go upstairs to the bedroom, to where there was a large bed, a glass door leading out to a patio, a Television placed on top of a cupboard, and a locker, that the boys had no idea what could have been inside.

Akio hadn't shown anyone else but Saeko the lightsabers he had possessed but he figured that reconstructing his own lightsaber to go with his old friend's lightsaber, and those items could possibly give them must more of an aid in the group's survival, if he was begged to do so. Perhaps he could start with cutting through the hinges of the sturdy looking locker.

Half of the locker was able to open, and there were packages of bullets, and a pair of binoculars.

It only took a few minutes but they were starting to hear the girls downstairs in the bathroom, giggling...Commotion...

"Sounds like they're having fun..." Takashi groaned.

"Wanna go take a peak?" Kohta asked. "You know we're supposed to right?"

"I don't want to die just yet." Takashi said.

"Don't be absurd." Akio grumbled.

"Woah, okay..." Kohta raised his hands. "Okay...Take it easy."

"So sorry." Akio apologized. "What are in these lockers?"

"I'm going to be really upset if there's nothing in here!" Takashi exclaimed. "We have all these bullets..."

"There's gotta be." Kohta said. "Komuro, pass over the crowbar, would you?"

"I have a better idea." Akio claimed.

"Really?" Takashi questioned.

Akio reached down into his backpack, took a deep breath, then slowly pulled out the lightsaber that was already pieced together.

"Are you..." Kohta gasped. "Are you for real?!"

Akio in response, flicked the ignition switch and so...A green colored, round blade that had comprised of a fixed laser, emerged from the device, while emulating some light of the color of the blade.

"Oh my God...!" Takashi widened his eyes in surprise.

"Stand back." Akio ordered.

Takashi and Kohta moved out of the way for Akio to do his thing with the lightsaber. The weapon that appeared before them was confirmed as the real thing...Like a knife through butter, Akio carefully made contact with the sides of the door and was able to take the door off, and they allowed for the sides of the door that was covered in molten heat, to cool down.

"To whoever owns this place...I must apologize for vandalizing a part of your home." Akio whispered.

"Don't beat yourself up over it!" Takashi nonchalantly commented, hearing what he said. "At least we got in. Don't forget it was YOUR idea."

"Dude...How did you even...When did you get that?!" Kohta questioned with impatience.

"I've received it as a package minutes before the school was exposed to chaos." Akio answered.

"Okay let me just say..." Kohta began. "Before I get into these weapons in these lockers...Lightsabers are illegal WORLDWIDE...The weapon of the Jedi...I thought they would have all been disposed of by now...Ever since the sixties..."

"...At least we got something useful...It shouldn't even matter anyway since the world has gone to hell." Takashi shrugged.

"What is in this locker Hirano?" Akio asked, deactivating the lightsaber.

"Well let's see..." Kohta murmured, examining the weapons. "AH HA!"

"So she lives her with a friend of hers. I wonder who she could be?" Takashi asked.

"Maybe someone part of the military?" Akio hypothesized. "Uh oh..." He suddenly realized. "Looks like I'm in trouble. If that's the case, I broke into a military property with a banned weapon."

Kohta laughed as he pumped himself up with energy and pride, while Akio placed the lightsaber back inside his backpack. He picked up one of the weapons, then started to share what he knew, proving to himself that doing that extra research on weapons on the internet and seeing them in various forms of entertainment, would come in handy that day.

"Springfield M1A1 Supermatch, it's semi-automatic. But M14 full automatic is nothing but a waste of bullets."

"...Chill out dude." Takashi said.

Kohta ignored Takashi as he was fixated in applying the knowledge of weapons to the guns that were in front of him.

"No...you can't get this in Japan!" He said, holding a sniper rifle. "They just modified an AR-10. What's left in the locker is a crossbow. It's a descendant of the one robinhood used. Barnette Wildcat C5, made in Britain, you can even kill a bear with it!"

Takashi pulled out the last weapon from the locker, and that made Kohta excited again.

"THAT'S A ITHACA M37 RIOT SHOTGUN! It's a sick shotgun made by Americans! It even played a big part in the Vietnam War!"

"Vietnam..." Akio murmured.

Takashi cocked the shotgun, and moved the muzzle towards Kohta.

"ARE YOU NUTS?!" Kohta freaked. "DON'T EVER POINT A THING LIKE THAT AT ANYONE EVEN UNLOADED! But if you do...Shoot to kill."

"Roger that..." Takashi plainly responded.

Takashi was actually thinking he may have to use the gun for more than just the zombies.

"I hope that's the only thing I need to point at..."

"Ya know...if it ever comes down to it..." Kohta knew what Takashi meant, then he grinned. "If I happen to get bit, don't you think twice about blasting my head off!"

"Same to you!" Takashi responded. "And what about you Akio?"

"I think he already knows!" Kohta said. "ALRIGHT! It's a deal!" Kohta picked up the AR-10, and put a full magazine in.

"Let's just pray that we stay unscathed." Akio said.

"But you understand what to do right?" Kohta asked.

"Whatever is necessary." Akio nodded. "I will do it."

Takashi and Kohta sat down to place and organize the bullets for their guns...Whether from arranging the shells for the shotgun, or placing ammunition inside the magazines required for the sniper.

While Kohta began to brag and tell the story about when he was trained by a former Captain of the United States Delta Force team, which is how he already knew how to put place the bullets in the magazines properly, Akio decided that it was for the construction of his own lightsaber. He pulled out the lightsaber parts and organized them on the bed. Kohta looked back at him to see what he was doing while he continued to fit the bullets in a couple of magazines.

"ANOTHER ONE?!" Kohta gasped.

Akio nodded his head in response. "My own."

"You're going to build it?" Takashi asked.

"Yes, I will be building it now." Akio responded.

"Wait...RIGHT, right now?" Takashi asked once again.

"Okay...THIS, I gotta see." Kohta shook with excitement. "I'm not much of a swords guy to be honest but something like a laser sword...Oh my God..."

Akio sighed. "If you would like to watch, then...I would like to ask if you can stay quiet for me please?" He requested.

"Sure." Takashi and Kohta said in unison.

Akio went down on his knees and held out one hand and used the Force. He focused on every single piece of the weapon coming together. The thing that seemed to catch the most attention from Takashi and Kohta was the small shining blue crystal-shaped object in the middle of the floating parts. The weapon started to come together and it didn't take too long for the completed weapon to land back on the bed.

Akio looked at his completed lightsaber. He thought in his mind about how he constructed the lightsaber based off the design off of his father's lightsaber, and his father had taken inspiration for the hilt design from a legend..."The Chosen One" is what the legend was called, and it was based off of that story, his lightsaber replicated the characteristics of the Jedi hero's weapon, contained in that story.

The lightsaber that was shown before them had dark stripes panning down from the middle, a throttle type ignition switch in the middle installed in a little box, with roughly engraved metal revolving around the ignition switch, and there was the top where there were a couple of round components hanging off from the side.

The weapon itself looked much more heavier than the other lightsaber, with it appearing to be made of a heavier alloy, to specifically match his own fighting style, normally preferring Form V lightsaber combat over other forms, despite Akio's knowledge in other forms that may have served him well in the past.

Akio took hold of his weapon and took moments to become mesmerized of the sight of his completed Jedi weapon once more after a couple of years. The lightsaber activated without any issue and there it was...A blue colored, round laser blade.

"Okay...That...Was really cool..." Kohta quivered.

Akio appeared as if he was oblivious to Kohta's compliment, clipped his weapon to his belt using the hilts belt ring, and stepped towards the glass door to step outside on the patio.

"Are you okay?" Takashi asked.

Again...Not facing his allies, sounding oblivious to them, he turned his palm back towards them, and pulled the pair of binoculars to his hand, telepathically.

"Give me...Time..." Akio croaked.

"...Yeah..." Kohta frowned, feeling concern. "We'll just uh...We'll just go ahead and finish up with the ammunition."

"Enjoy yourself." Akio said, stepping out.

"...I kind of like him." Kohta chirped.

"Well, he's one our school's top students." Takashi remarked. "He's not bad. I thought he was always...You know..."

"Me too..." Kohta sighed. "I do remember seeing him as the smartest and most enthusiastic student in our school when we were all freshmen but...That all changed the next year...Well, not that he's not smart. I mean he just built something that...Or at least I know...Surpasses any kind of technology out there. That's why those were destroyed in the first place."

"I'd be stupid if I could call him dumb. Building a weapon that's probably beyond the technological level of...Just about anything. It's not like I'm going to meet anyone else like that in my life." Takashi said. "I'd say we're pretty lucky, plus finding guns like this in an apartment this...Complex...I wonder who Miss Shizuka's friend is?"

"About that..." Kohta said. "Whoever her friend is...To be able to get away with putting together the guns like this, it'd make sense since she was probably in the Military but living in a place like this...I'm feeling a little susp-"

Kohta got himself distracted from the noise from the girls downstairs in the bathroom...Commotion consisting of Shizuka's laughing and Rei sounded like she was in a bind.

"They should probably keep it quiet..." Kohta mumbled.

"It's alright!" Akio exclaimed. "They won't be able to hear them however...There is something peculiar going on..."

Takashi stood by with Akio and tried to look to where he was pointing the binoculars. Pointed towards a bridge, Takashi tried to squint to see what Akio was seeing, but he didn't have to wait long to catch a glimpse of the action as Akio handed Takashi the binoculars, and Takashi was able to see what Akio had been looking at for the past couple of minutes.

"Turn on the television." Akio requested. "The News."

Kohta did as he asked without questioning it. The TV's default channel on one of the nearby broadcasting teams at a bridge that was just nearby, that showed a crowd supposedly protesting against the Pandemic and spread of the so-called disease, making claims about putting blame on both the Japanese and American governments for the development of a Biological Weapon.

"ARE THEY SERIOUS?!" Takashi jumped. "What Biological Weapon?! No science can explain how dead people can just walk around and eat people."

"...Biological...Weapon...!?" Akio shivered.

"This is all some Government Propaganda." Kohta commented. "Maybe-"

A gunshot was heard from within the television. Multiple gunshots followed from the shot, then the cry and plea from a woman to save her child. The three didn't know what had occurred but they took a good guess as the protesters were outraged for the Police executing another citizen.

It didn't take too long for another outburst to occur. One conflict between the leader of the protest and a Police Officer lead to the officer resorting to a ruthless tactic, execution. It had all been caught on live footage, the man leading the protest was now dead with a bullet that pierced through his forehead, and blood oozing out as a result. Due to it's graphic nature however, the broadcast was terminated.

"...Bio...Bio..."

Takashi and Kohta noticed Akio appearing slightly disoriented and at his own accord, went back outside to try and ease the tension, whatever it was.


	8. Chapter 8: The Fear of Loss

_There was Akio. He had his eyes closed, strapped onto what appeared to be an operation table of some sort. He appeared to be much younger, and there was a man engulfed in shadow looking down at him with strong pride and evil burning._

_"You will serve me boy...You are mine...And the world will be too."_

_With a wave of his hand, machines began to surround Akio and needles were lowered and surrounded his torso, which then pierced Akio's skin, and began to subdue him with the dark red, glowing liquid that was being injected into his body, to enter his bloodstream and give him power._

_After the injections were finished, Akio opened his eyelids and the pupil was glowing bright red as a result._

_"HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! EXCELLENT!"_

* * *

Akio gasped as he was brought back to reality...He was still thankfully, in the apartment that belonged to Shizuka's friend. It was only a dream, a glimpse of the past.

"Shido..." He grumbled.

Akio turned his attention to the sound of the patio door being opened, and there was Kohta...He looked like he was in a daze, and in complete shock. His nose was running with blood, and he flailed his arms, with the binoculars dangling at the weak grip.

"What happened?" Akio asked.

Akio shuffled quickly back to see what was happening inside. He could briefly see Takashi carrying somebody...Shizuka...?

He went back inside and went downstairs to see Takashi placing Shizuka gently down in the living room, on the rug. Shizuka, who was apparently half naked, was barely even covered by a towel, but Takashi made sure that she had a pleasant sleep and put a blanket to cover her up. Saya was over on one of the leather couches, peacefully asleep. Akio eyed Saya and could only wish that he could have sleep as easily as her.

"Oh, hey..." Takashi whispered, noticing Akio.

"They'll need the rest." Akio nodded.

"Hey, why don't you get some sleep man?" Takashi questioned quietly.

"I don't sleep too well anymore." Akio responded. "I haven't been able to...Ever since _she_ died..."

"Oh..." Takashi realized.

"It's alright...There is probably not a single person in the school who hasn't heard of her death." Akio said.

"What exactly happened to her?" Takashi asked. "How did she die?"

Akio gave Takashi a stern look in response.

"Oh...Okay. Sorry if I asked about it."

"It's alright." Akio sighed. "...To be honest...I DON'T EXACTLY know what happened to her...There hasn't been a single day where I haven't thought of Mizuki. You'd understand what it feels like to lose a friend. Don't you?"

"...Hmm..." Takashi sighed, thinking back to what he'd done to Hisashi. "I'm going to get something to drink, want to come?" He asked, changing the mood.

"Alright." Akio nodded.

Takashi and Akio went to the kitchen to see what was available. Takashi crouched down and opened the fridge door but Akio didn't even look half interested in eating anything. He just sat at the little island table, on an adjustable round leather chair, holding his lightsaber and just staring down at the weapon, buried in thought...

He was so fixated in looking at his own weapon, that when Saeko had announced to both Takashi and Akio that the preparations for a late night snack, and the lunch for the next day, Takashi was the one who was in great shock when he noticed Saeko wearing nothing but a tight apron and a thong, while prepping food over the stove. Akio looked up and appeared to ignore it, but yet acknowledged what Saeko was wearing, not in the most pleasant or exaggerated way however...Just a little grunt.

"Akio!" Saeko shouted.

Akio heard Saeko and stood up alongside a rather still surprised Takashi, holding his inactive lightsaber hilt.

"You, Komuro, and Hirano have been watching out for us..." She smiled. "I really appreciate it, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it..."

"...I...I." Akio sighed, looking at his lightsaber.

"Hey Takashi! Come up here!"

Takashi and Akio turned to the sound of where Rei's voice was coming from. It was from the stairwell, and there she was looking down at them, mostly focused on Takashi.

"COME UP HERE!" Rei repeated.

"You better listen to her." Saeko told Takashi. "Sometimes girls like to act as if they were helpless."

"Do you Miss Busijima?" Takashi asked.

Saeko let out a weak giggle then said. "I'd prefer to be called Saeko by my friends."

Takashi made an attempt to say her name, while facing Akio, as Takashi knew that he and Saeko were most definitely old friends, and he would have been comfortable with it. "Uh...Sa-...Sa..."

"Call me that after practicing." Saeko smiled at Takashi.

Rei continued to push Takashi to go and meet her on the stairwell. Letting out a sigh, Takashi took the juice he got out of the fridge and went to sit on the stairwell with Rei, and that left Akio in the kitchen with Saeko.

"Akio...Tell me something for me." Saeko requested.

"Yes?"

"What did your father tell you when you have received your weapons?"

"What he said...?" Akio exhaled. "He told me that I must remind myself why I fight."

"Do you know exactly why you should fight?" Saeko asked.

"Uh..."

Akio felt all the memories hit him at once, just continuing to look at his own lightsaber, bring back some good memories, and some bad.

"I feel that I need to fight for the people suffering out there. That is what I feel my responsibility is and...To...To make sure that..."

Saeko noticed how hesitant Akio was being and could remember the one reason why. She still remembered the days she never even spoke with Akio again, ever since those days in the second year of High School when Mizuki Muto was supposedly "gone." He never went into any specifics as to what happened but just "gone."

"...She was a Jedi, like me..." Akio confessed. "It's my fault that she's gone now."

"...Oh Akio..." Saeko murmured

In an attempt to calm him down a little but and ease the stress that he has, Saeko turned off the stove, and pulled Akio in for a warm hug, and stroked his hair gently.

"That lightsaber you saw back at the school, that was her's." Akio mumbled.

"You're a brave man Akio." Saeko comfortably commented. "I know where others may have already tumbled, you're still standing. She would be proud. Stay strong."

"For the world." Akio said.

Saeko let go of Akio and he went to his lightsaber and clipped it back onto his side, on his belt.

"I'm going upstairs to check on our current situation with Hirano." Akio proposed.

"Alright Akio." Saeko smirked. "Remember...I believe in you."

Saeko was happy to see Akio crack a smile and he went upstairs, passing by Rei (Who had changed into a pink tank top, and wore white underwear) and Takashi discussing their own personal issues. The thing that Akio could interpret the most out of their conversations was Hisashi. Although Rei had also acknowledged Akio's lightsaber hanging on his side, he continued upstairs to leave them in their own matters, not to get too involved.

When he stepped out onto the patio, he could see that Kohta was standing on guard, looking out in the distance with the binoculars.

"Anything?"

Kohta heard Akio and nearly felt like his heart was jumping out of his chest.

"No, nothing yet." Kohta sighed with relief.


	9. Chapter 9: Spirit Against Odds

Takashi and Rei's dispute over Hisashi continued to drag on. The whole conversation was just nothing more than a waste of time to Takashi, and was more of an excuse to bash him, with comparison to how much better Hisashi was. Takashi decided that he's had enough.

"SHUT UP!" He growled, standing up. "You bring him up every single chance you get!

Rei gasped in shock from his sudden, aggressive change in attitude from sounding unenthusiastic to sounding more angry.

"I'm NOT him! And besides...HE'S DEAD! If anyone knows that well, I DO. Face it, he's NOT coming back. We're still alive! Want to stay that way?! I do! So why don't yo-"

Rei stood up with Takashi and tugged at his shirt. Rei then managed to suppress the anger within Takashi while holding in her own grief, trying to have an intimate moment with him in a way to apologize. Rei was able to let Takashi slip down gently, and she tried to make her move on Takashi, moving her head closer to his, but in the distance all of a sudden, a dog's barking could be heard.

"Even now..." Takashi sighed.

"It sounds a bit close, don't you think?" Rei asked.

Takashi stood up immediately and rushed upstairs to check on Kohta, who was with Akio, and holding the AR-10.

"Not good Komuro." Akio said.

"What's going on?" Takashi asked.

Kohta and Akio gestured towards the bottom of the apartment flat at street level.

"The hunger...It just never ends...They never end..." Takashi stated.

Akio suddenly felt pain flood his head and felt something through the Force. "Something's not right..." He shivered.

"Other than the fact we've got these unde-"

"No Hirano...Something else, not these undead corpses trying to eat us...Something..."

_"Oh Akio..."_

The voice to that of a female, was heard through telepathy in his mind, sounding seductive and rather teaseful. His heart stopped as he immediately recognized the voice.

"Mizuki...It can't be..."

What broke him out of his daze was the eruption of what sounded like a shotgun, and it was within the vicinity, coming from the street below. They were able to locate the source of the noise and with the binoculars, only found a man falling victim to the undead as he was unable to run away for load his shotgun quick enough.

Saeko had come upstairs to check on the situation herself.

"It's worse..." She commented.

"Okay...THAT'S IT." Takashi grumbled, grabbing hold of the Itacha.

"Not a good idea." Akio disapproved. "If you shoot them-"

"YEAH! If I shoot them, I'll protect-"

"Have you forgotten?" Saeko cut in. "They react to EVERY little sound Komuro." She reminded him, walking back inside, turning off the lights using the touch sensitive switches installed. "And as for the living, they just swarm around like bugs looking for the light and for us. We have to stay in the dark. We're not capable of saving all the live ones out there."

Takashi kept up with Saeko while Akio stood by, contemplating if it was still a good idea to construct his lightsaber, as Saeko's statement sounded exactly like what he had been trying to do in the past few years, and reminded him even more of the past.

"Here..." Saeko handed the binoculars over to Takashi. "Take a good look out there! You better get used to it. I'm afraid that being manly is no longer good enough to survive. Akio, you understand too?"

"Yes." Akio nodded.

With that, Saeko proceeded to go back downstairs.

"But I thought that out of any of us, you would have looked at things a little differently." Takashi told Saeko.

Saeko stood still at the edge of the stairs, and turned back to respond.

"Listen, please don't misunderstand me. I'm sorry Komuro but this is just the way things are now. I'm not...I'm not saying I like it."

Saeko finished her statement and went back downstairs, and Takashi turned to Akio.

"Nothing has changed...Regardless, I'm still in the dark, just as I was before, hiding..." Akio said.

"But at least you got us!" Takashi smirked. "You're not by yourself at least."

"...I suppose you're right." Akio shrugged. "But there is however, no way around the reality of this new world. We're going to need to be extremely careful with who or what we meet."

"Hey, if you want, me and Hirano will take watch. You go and relax or something." Takashi suggested.

"No...I'd rather stay up here." Akio replied.

"But don't you think you've had enough for one night? You know it...It's only going to get harder now. Let's be fair, you're the one who needs the most rest." Takashi said. "If I was in your position I honestly don't even think that I could handle the pressure."

"...Fine." Akio sighed. "If there's anything you need, I'll be downstairs...Or maybe I'll come to you."

Takashi nodded and went back outside with Kohta to scan the area, witness what may have been occurring nearby. Akio looked down at his backpack where Mizuki's lightsaber and his wooden Bokken were kept, and decided that he was going to keep his lightsaber on his side, and leave the backpack in the room until they were ready to go.

Akio climbed down the stairs back into the kitchen/living area, where the lights were still on. The only two who were still currently awake out of the girls were Saeko and Rei. Saeko was still attending to the food preparation and packaging, while Rei was sitting near the stairwell, just staying quiet, but he couldn't help but notice Rei eyeing him, specifically eyeing his lightsaber at his side. He could sense her nervousness but he knew that Rei could trust him as much as he trusted everyone else.

"Is..." Rei spoke up. "Is that a lightsaber?"

"Yes it is." Akio answered.

"Hey, is it alright if I talk to you for a little bit." Rei asked.

"Sure." Akio nodded, sitting next to Rei. "I know it's difficult to cope. I'm truly sorry."

"It's fine..." Rei stuttered. "I'm sorry if I have to ask you this but...Were and you and...Um...Were you ever more than friends?"

Akio let out a light nod, and sighed looking down at himself. "We were." He admitted. "Mizuki and I...We...We looked out for each other, we trained together. She wanted to know what it felt like to...To love. A part of me wanted to feel that joy as well. But there were always rules...My father had tried to warn me that love was a dangerous thing for a Jedi, if they became to fixated on it."

"But isn't that what your father had experienced when you were born?" Rei asked.

"I suppose." Akio responded. "Both my mother and father are Jedi but it was...It was because of me that she's passed away. Same with Mizuki."

"...Mizuki died?" Rei gasped.

Gunshots suddenly echoed and it sounded like they were coming from the upstairs patio. Akio rushed upstairs and saw Kohta pointing the AR-10 sniper rifle down to the street below.

"GO GET HER KOMURO! I'll cover you!" Kohta exclaimed.

Takashi handed Akio the binoculars and Akio looked to where Kohta was shooting, and Takashi went back downstairs in the meantime. Akio looked in the distance to see that Kohta was taking down one zombie at a time, piercing their skulls with each bullet, providing cover for a little girl with short pink hair, having a head band across, and a light pink colored dress top, with a white jacket, blue skirt, and dark shoes.

"It's time..." Akio murmured, taking hold of his lightsaber.

Akio rushed back downstairs and noticed the lights dim down so the darkness would consume the complex. He could see Rei and Saeko seeing him off to his rescue mission, with Saeko saying that she would look after the place, and Rei gave Takashi the revolver.

"I would like to assist in carrying out this rescue mission as well." Akio announced.

"Uh...Wait...I only have one bike." Takashi said.

"Time to use this." Akio exclaimed, holding his lightsaber up.

"ALRIGHT!" Takashi cheered.

"This is the most perfect time to use it." Saeko said. "Go get 'em boys."

Takashi and Akio went outside with Saeko and Rei. Takashi got on the motorbike and Akio stood out front right near the gate, holding his lightsaber up.

"I'll be able to cut through them easily, but as we move along the street, there's going to be more because my lightsaber is going to make a little bit of noise, so be ready." Akio mentioned.

"Akio...Please...Be careful." Saeko pleaded.

"Don't worry, we'll save the girl." Akio said with assurance.

"Ready?" Rei asked Takashi.

Takashi in response, put on some fingerless gloves and pumped the accelerator a few times, which caught the attention of every zombie outside, while doing that, Akio ignited his blue lightsaber and held it high in the air. Rei and Saeko opened the gate and allowed Akio to charge forward, and cut through any zombie in his range. In doing so, he cleared a path for Takashi and stuck to the side of the street, swinging his lightsaber, and trying to run after Takashi on the motorbike, using the Force to further enhance his speed and endurance, to at least trail behind him.

Akio looked ahead and heard gunfire echo from behind him, and saw a couple of the zombies being knocked down, for Takashi's protection, and admired Kohta's marksmanship, but continued to move on, slashing through any zombie that came near him. Nearing the front of the house, getting close to the exterior within the small gate in front of the house, fending for the girl, a dog with her, and Takashi. Akio stood firmly with his lightsaber and took up a defensive form, applying his knowledge in Form III to fend off the large amount of the undead approaching.

The weapon was easily able to cut through the decomposing walking corpses, leaving the charred body parts to fall to the ground, but Akio still needed to be careful in what he was doing. With the sounds his lightsaber was giving off, more just kept coming and coming. Akio deactivated his lightsaber and pushed his palm out towards the undead crowd, and knocked them all down on the ground, and quickly closed the gate doors.

"Are you alright?" Akio asked the kid.

The little girl shook her head nervously, and the dog at her side let out a bark.

* * *

Back at the apartment, Saya and Shizuka were awake and looking down the street to the situation at hand. There were a lot of zombies surrounding the gates where Takashi and Akio were safely secured with that girl. It was time to pack up, and the rest of the crew needed a plan to get Takashi out of there but the only solution they had was with the Humvee, as coming back by bike would be impossible through that crowd of zombies, and Akio's lightsaber may not be good enough to cut through all of them. There was really only one option...Since Takashi and Akio couldn't come back the way they went then...

"It looks like we don't have a choice but to go and get them." Shizuka said.

Rei, Saeko and Saya looked at Shizuka and thought about her suggestion, and appeared as if it was crazy.

"You guys think it's a bad idea?" Shizuka asked.

"No..." Saeko said. "Sounds like a plan!"

"SHE'S RIGHT! Hell of a plan!" Saya exclaimed. "We'll rescue Komuro and Jin then we'll get to the other side of the river. COME ON! Let's get ready!"


	10. Chapter 10: Collision

With the little girl safe, for the time being, with the gate still holding secure from the large crowd of zombies pressing themselves against the gate. Akio and Takashi crouched down and with the girl for her comfort and relief and stared down at one corpse with her…A man who's dress shirt was stained with his own blood and lay there motionless.

"…That's…That's my dad…" She told them.

Akio looked over at Takashi, then looked over towards a patch of small pink flowers, then the girl's dead father again…Looking over towards Takashi, he nodded lightly, and nudged his head towards the flowers, and Takashi nodded back in response for what they could do to honor the man's courage to protect her daughter.

"…What are you…?" The girl murmured.

Takashi stood up and walked over to the flowers and carefully picked one out of the patch. He took down a dress shirt hanging in the yard, and covered the father's body. He held up the flower towards the girl

"He died trying to protect you. He was a brave man." Takashi said.

The girl took hold of the flower and quivered with tears in her eyes as she lay it on her father's body.

"…D-Daddy…"

She pushed herself towards Takashi and tightly hugged him while she let out all of her tears. Akio watched and felt a cold run through him, and a whistling in the Force that he could feel through the light wind, that blew on the petals slightly, almost feeling like an essence of the departed father, was trying to tell him to care for his daughter, and to give her strength and courage.

There was something else…There was a certain fear and curiosity running through the girl, and it had something to do with him…A Jedi Knight…Someone who had the skill with a lightsaber and was connected to the Force, and came to her aid when she least expected it. Especially when it seemed impossible for a Jedi to run through the streets in the modern day and age.

After a few more minutes of crying, Takashi reminded the girl that she needed to keep herself quiet or else they have more drawn towards them, as if there wasn't enough trying to breach the gate already.

"Hey…Mister…?" The girl hesitantly looked at Akio. "Are you…J-j-j-j-Jedi…?"

"I am…" Akio responded.

"Don't worry, he's cool!" Takashi smiled.

"Da…" The girl began to shiver and held back her tears with best effort. "Daddy said you were good people…You are good people. Thank you so much!"

"I'm afraid you'll need to thank someone else." Akio preferred to Takashi. "He motivated me to stand with him on this rescue."

"Ah come on!" Takashi chimed. "I didn't do everything. Dude…I would just do about anything to be you right now. I wish I could send them flying with just a push of a palm. That's like…That's…AWESOME."

"Be proud of yourself Komuro." Akio said. "It's because of you that she's still alive. You made the call, I only followed alongside you."

Takashi looked over to the zombies, still having a hard time breaking through the gate, which they weren't going to anytime, and sighed.

"We've attracted too much attention to ourselves…."

"How are we going to get out?" The girl wondered.

"The street is impossible. I can't attract more attention than there already is." Akio stated. "I could easily cut through all of them, but I don't want to attract the wrong kind of attention towards ourselves."

"Yeah you're right…" Takashi agreed.

"I do however…Believe there is another solution…"

Akio pointed up towards the little narrow edge on top of the stone wall that extended out towards the street.

"…Oh boy…" Takashi gulped, but then exhaled calmly. "LET'S DO IT." He boomed.

Akio went first and jumped up on top of the wall with a single leap and looked back at Takashi, while holding his lightsaber in one hand, while continuing forward. He waited for Takashi to climb up with him, then he led them down the edge of the wall, slow and steady, keeping himself balanced on the top, avoiding any trips into the zombie hoard below.

Takashi's only challenge in balancing the wall is the fact that he was slowly trying to carry the girl, who they yet to learn of her name, and the dog in his jacket, but Akio was free so he had to be ready to use the Force or his lightsaber in case anything went wrong.

"We're…We're gonna make it…" Takashi stuttered.

"You're doing fine, just…Stay on course…" Akio said. "Stay focused…"

_"Akiooooo…"_

"Huh…?"

Akio just heard the feminine toned voice he had heard previously once more, but didn't allow it to become a top priority and still focused on getting Takashi towards him… He saw Takashi almost losing his balance as a zombie was able to tug at his shoe lace, but with the Force, he was able to keep Takashi up, and was able to hold back the undead from reaching up towards Takashi and himself.

"Thanks man!" Takashi sighed with relief.

Takashi managed to keep continuing and to balance himself out to reach Akio. Behind Akio, both him, Takashi, the girl, and the dog heard the slight hum of a vehicle, and took notice of the Humvee parked outside of Shizuka's friend's apartment, and it was accelerating at top speed and Saeko was on top of the vehicle, holding her Bokken held at the side, and Kohta was underneath her standing through the turret ring, holding the Itacha Shotgun, pointing the muzzle towards the front of the vehicle.

The one who was driving the vehicle, Shizuka, made the vehicle skid on its side, and knocked over half of the zombies down. Kohta, under the instruction from Saya as requested, told him to "Buy them some time" and fired one shot, which resulted in half of the zombies that were standing, be knocked over from the impact of the shotgun's blast radius. As Kohta cocked the shotgun, Akio took a leap backwards high into the air, landed right in front of the Humvee, and activated his lightsaber and readied himself.

Everyone almost became disoriented of the sight of Akio facing the entire zombie crowd, holding his blue lightsaber proudly at his side but they soon broke themselves out of their fixation and concentrated at the objective at hand, letting Akio protect them, and dozens of zombies going down in a cluster of blue lights.

"KOMURO! GET TO THE VEHICLE!" Akio shouted as he cut through one more.

"Right…" Takashi exclaimed.

As Akio continued to slice through every single one of them that made contact with his lightsaber, the more burnt, decaying pieces of zombies that lay in the street, Takashi finally was able to jump onto the vehicle.

"Come on Akio, you too!" Saeko called out.

Deactivating his lightsaber, Akio jumped backwards and landed on the vehicle's haul, right next to Saeko.

"Amazing work." Saeko complimented.

Akio nodded, then Shizuka accelerated the vehicle forward, quickly gaining distance away from any zombie in the vicinity.

Later down the road, everyone became comfortable and found themselves a seat inside the Humvee for rest. Rei, Saeko, and Takashi all sat side by side together in the middle, while Kohta and the girl rested alongside each other, with the dog curled up close to her.

The only two people who remained awake in the group were Akio and Shizuka, which Akio sat on the front passenger seat looking up at his lightsaber and also noticing that his friends were generous enough to retrieve his backpack and put it in the front.

"This isn't over..." Akio grumbled.

"It is for now…" Shizuka stated. "Get some sleep, it's not healthy if you try to keep yourself awake after hard work."

"Maybe that was a mistake…People are going to know…" Akio shivered, placing his lightsaber in his backpack. "I shouldn't have used my lightsaber."

"GET SOME SLEEP." Shizuka sternly said. "If people are going to find out who you are, they will know that you used it for the safety of others. Stop being so hard on yourself, you did a great job…You deserve a break, take the opportunity and just rest."

"…Maybe…" Akio murmured.

Akio still however did not do as Shizuka had pleaded him to do and continued to remain awake as Shizuka submerged the vehicle into the bay, and due to the height of the Humvee and haul design, the vehicle was able to withstand the water, and was able to still be driven however, the speed that the Humvee was going due to water resistance, it was going to take a while before they would make it to the other side.

* * *

Akio eventually succumb to his tiredness and began to drift away into sleep. He dreamt of nothing…It was just pure darkness. His mind was still remaining active and focused on the memories that him and Mizuki shared…

The two seemed inseparable…Even though they would fear Akio's father would disapprove of their growing bond and relationship, they were still able to have the feeling they had for each other and try to expand and pursue it, even though it would be dangerous for Jedi to do so.

It was only one picture of a memory…Just the static image of him and Mizuki in their first year of High School, their arms around their shoulders, Mizuki's head resting on Akio's shoulder, looking down at Tokonosu from a distance as cherry blossom leaves blew through the air.

The image suddenly cracked and something else began to take form…The Dark Side…A man concealed in a hood, torturing and twisting Mizuki with these machines…then Mizuki's face slowly fading away, a dark mask taking its place.

_"I'm coming for you."_

Akio suddenly shot up after he heard the feminine mechanical voice, and slowly breathed in and out, then sighed as he noticed the sun was high in the sky, and he could hear the sound of Kohta and the girl he had yet to learn of her name, singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" outside. He looked back and saw someone standing up through the turret ring...From the small black shorts the person was wearing…He guessed it had to be Saya.

Then he suddenly heard Kohta sing his own abridged version of the song with his passion for guns…Which was sung like this:

_Shoot, shoot, shoot your gun._

_Kill them now!_

_Bang, bang, bang, bang!_

_Life is but a scream!_

After he sung the song, he heard Saya slam her fist on the vehicle's haul, and heard her scolding Kohta about teaching a little girl a song like that. Shizuka called to the people who were still asleep, Takashi, Rei, and Saeko, told them to wake up and that the other side of the river was close.

He turned back to focus on the front as Rei was the only one who apparently heard Shizuka's call. In a few moments, they were able to get themselves onto land, and find themselves time to scan the area.

"There's no one…" Saya confirmed.

Stepping out of the vehicle, with his bag, and briefly depth concentrating in the energy through the Force, Akio could only sense more of the dead than the living…It's what was shrouding his senses…Pain and death…

By the time he was released from his phase wrapped up in the Force, everyone had stepped down from the vehicle, and he could hear Rei telling Takashi and Kohta, and him of course, to not look at them while all the girls change clothes. Respectfully, he went behind cover so that their vision to the girls may be obscured while they focused…Kohta had something in mind to keep themselves occupied.

"Who is she?" Takashi asked.

"The little girl's name is Arisu Maresato…" Kohta answered. "Her father is a newspaper reporter…Well…Was."

"The mother?" Akio asked.

"Well, she said that her father told her, that her mom was supposed to meet with them later." Kohta sighed.

They then heard the girls giggle, who were currently trying to pick out some clothing that Shizuka brought along.

"Well guys, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!" Kohta exclaimed, giving a thumbs up while putting his right hand on Takashi's shoulder.

"I don't want to die just yet!" Takashi responded.

"And we won't!" Akio jumped in. "Give them some privacy." He groaned.

"That's what we're doing." Takashi responded. "Don't get so worked up."

The dog that they rescued along with the girl barked while wagging its tail, while looking up at them.

"Wow…you're a spunky little guy!" Takashi said, picking the dog up.

"But don't bark too much Zero!" Kohta said.

"Zero?" Takashi and Akio questioned.

"Yeah, like the plane! The Reisen, the one's we used when we got our asses handed to us in the Pacific War!" Kohta explained.

"Ah yes, the Zero Fighter! Small and fast!" Akio understood.

"Just like this little guy!" Takashi added.

Kohta then presented Takashi with the shotgun they found in the apartment. "Here Komuro, it's a shotgun, all you need to do is aim around their heads, you'll hit 'em!"

"Perhaps you would like to teach me how it works as well?" Akio asked.

"Sure! But you have two laser swords dude!" Kohta responded.

"If I ever lose them, I may need an alternative." Akio explained. "Something else to use if I can't maintain the Force."

"Fair enough. Powers are bound to be exhausted eventually I guess…Never know." Kohta sighed. "Alright!" Kohta pulled the pump of the shotgun and started explaining. "There are cartridges. Each shell is a casing filled with pellets, you only have to adjust the sight, find your target, and pull the trigger! You can blast their heads off with this!"

"What if I run out of bullets?" Takashi asked.

"When that happens, open this gate!" Kohta said, holding a shell, putting it in. "Like this."

"Seems simple!" Akio nodded.

"Oh and, you can only load four bullets and have one in the cartridge chamber so keep that in mind!"

Kohta then handed Takashi the shotgun, and Takashi put the strap over his shoulder.

"I have to warn you, the recoil on that thing is pretty powerful!" Kohta said.

"In the worst case scenario I'll use it as a club!" Takashi responded.

"You are so hopeless!" Kohta growled.

"No, he'll learn." Akio assured.

"Alright, I guess it's settled then." Kohta said.

Arisu then called out to Takashi from behind the vehicle. The three went around the truck to see that the girls were all in their new outfits. They looked onto them exceptionally, liking the looks of the clothing they had on.

Saeko had a pair of dark boots, along with dark stockings and kept the uniform top, and she had a sideless dark skirt.

Rei had also kept the uniform top, only she didn't have the bow tied on the shirt. She had the M1A1 rifle strapped around her body, and some pads on her elbows and knees, and she was wearing a striped green skirt.

Saya was wearing a white jacket with an exposed black tank top, and had a green skirt.

Arisu didn't change as she kept the same clothes she had when she first met the group. Shizuka kept her white buttoned skirt, but she wore a brown checkered skirt.

"What? Got a problem?" Rei asked Takashi.

"Uh…no, you look good with it!" Takashi said.

"Agreed." Akio nodded. "Can you even shoot though?" He then questioned.

"Well… I'll just ask Hirano to teach me and if worst comes to worse, I'll just hit them with it." Rei said.

"I'll be delighted to teach you!" Kohta said. "Oh, and did you perhaps notice the standard issue bayonet?" Kohta then asked.

"Alright, we're going to bring up the Humvee, Hirano, Komuro, check it out…" Saya ordered.

"Yes ma'am!" Kohta cried.

Akio tried to follow along Kohta and Takashi, who were going to scale the little hill to get on to the street top.

"I didn't say you!" Saya barked, grabbing Akio by the shoulder.

Akio simply complied with Saya and he was dragged back to stay alongside the girls, without any resistance, while they entrusted Takashi and Kohta, and the dog, Zero, for scoping out the road for any signs of the presence of anyone or anything. Akio didn't even turn himself around to face his female companions, just focusing on his other friends' progress.

He could sense literally feel the amount of remorse and concern behind him and he wished that he could speak right now but...He wasn't ready to talk, he was more ready to fight and protect his friends no matter what, yet he wondered how could he if he could potentially put his group at risk for just who he was and what he was capable of.

Moments later, Takashi had called down to them to signal that it was safe for them to drive themselves up the hill. Shizuka got into the car while everyone watched her guide the vehicle precisely up the hill to land it perfectly on the road safely. The girls alongside Akio, trudged up the hill to scout the area with Takashi and Kohta and develop a plan to move forward. Despite every single set back of hope, thinking about if the Police are still alive or...Maybe Jedi...Jedi that have been accepted with a group of people, out of hiding, exposed, like Akio had been. Takashi had a solution.

"Your house is in the Higasghisaka district, right?" He asked Saya.

"Takagi's house is the closest." Takashi said. "But..."

"I know..." Saya sighed. "I'm not really expecting anything but I..."

Saya then turned her attention towards Akio and thought briefly for a moment in the case if her parents were still alive...

"You'll be fine." Saya told him. "Don't even think about leaving us!" She pleaded.

"I'm not going anywhere..." Akio promised.

"You promise?" Arisu asked.

"I promise." Akio vowed.

"Let's go." Takashi said.

Everyone who could fit inside the vehicle, hopped in the vehicle to squeeze. The ones who chose to stay outside to sit on the top haul of the vehicle were Rei, Takashi, and Akio.

As Shizuka drove the vehicle more directly into the nearby neighborhood, Akio kept himself balanced on the vehicle while gaining the courage to carry his lightsaber, clipped on his side out in the open, seeing as to how everyone seemed to be pushing and encouraging him to do so, as it was essential for everyone's survival, and keeping the identity of Akio alive and un-tainted, especially what he had done for Arisu, he couldn't just conceal that part of him anymore.

* * *

**Hello readers!**

**I have a small favor...I was wondering if you could leave a review on what you think about the revamping. Tell me if you like the story more or less! I really appreciate it! **


	11. Chapter 11: Willpower

The quiet drive through the neighborhood continued. There was absolutely no presence of any of the dead walking through the streets...All they could hear was the gentle wind, the motor of the engine, and the cherry blossom leaves flying through the air in the empty area.

As strange as it was, no people, no dead people, and no military planes flying overhead like the previous day, it gave everyone a simple, strong, peace in mind.

Peace in mind however...May not last very long.

"IT'S THEM!" Kohta shouted.

The rest of the group looked ahead…There were the zombies that they had not been delighted to meet once more. Shizuka made a quick turn around the corner, as guided by Saya, but ended up driving towards more of them. Another turn…EVEN MORE.

Shizuka kept the vehicle accelerating in the same path, and sped it up, coming through a road with surrounding apartment complexes in the surrounding areas above.

"HANG ON!" Takashi shouted.

Takashi, Rei, and Akio held on with all of their strength while they plowed through every zombie and increased the speed further as the hoard became larger in mass as they made their way down the street. Akio squinted his eyes forward and saw a great potential threat to the vehicle and his friends.

"STOP THE VEHICLE!" Akio yelled.

Takashi, Rei, and the rest of the group focused their sights further out to the front.

"SHIT!" Takashi exclaimed. "THERE'S A WIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD!"

Underneath in the shelter of the vehicle, Saeko leaned forward and had also seen the wire.

"Turn the car to the side!" She ordered.

Before the car could crash directly into the front of the vehicle, potentially injuring their friends above, Shizuka was able to steer the car so that the side of the vehicle may collide with the wired fence instead. A couple of zombies were caught in the middle of the vehicle and fence, and bursts of blood were sprayed as the zombies were unable to endure the sandwiching pressure, which was no pretty sight for anyone.

"Don't look." Kohta told Arisu, covering her from the gory sights.

Unable to control her actions while panicking, Shizuka instinctively drove the vehicle forward and was now heading for the brick wall. She was able to push her foot against the break but the momentum caused the vehicle's back to jerk upwards. Takashi was able to get enough grip despite the speed and momentum the vehicle was being subject to, but Rei and Akio did not have something as durable to hold onto, and were sent flying forward.

Rei had landed on her back first on the frontal hood of the vehicle, while Akio had gained more air and speed and was sent vigorously rolling on the concrete road and collided with the wall, head first, knocking him out of his consciousness.

"…A…A…" Rei grunted, attempting to call to her downed ally.

She then heard the sound of the Itacha shotgun slide being pulled, and saw Takashi jump down to begin the repelling attack on any approaching zombie, while listening to Takashi mumble himself about a reminder.

"Okay…Pull the slide…Aim for the head…FIRE."

Takashi fired one shot but to his disappointment, he was only able to kill one of out dozens, while seeing some effects of the shot were felt by the zombies, but not enough to put them down.

"You don't know what you're doing!" Kohta yelled, sticking himself out through the Humvee's turret ring. "The recoil is causing the muzzle to shot off target! Lean into the gun more with your shoulder, aim around the chest!" He then recommended.

So…Takashi repeated the instructions to himself then fired a single shot from the shotgun, only this time, the shot managed to push down a good number of them.

"Awesome…" Takashi gasped.

He looked and saw that even more of them were gathering to try and pursue them…He slightly shook, looking back at the injured Rei, and the unconscious Akio, then the zombies again.

"…Shit…" Takashi quivered.

Kohta began to pitch into the fight and used the AR-10 to snipe a couple of them nearby.

"After the shot, pull the slide again, and shift the muzzle a bit." He said.

After listening to Kohta's advice once more, he fired four more times, and continued to self-praise himself from the success he had for the first time he had ever used the weapon.

"ALRIGHT!"

He attempted to fire one more shot but then when he heard a click, he realised that he was out of ammo. He reached into his jacket pocket but accidentally, dropped them to the ground, closer to the zombies.

"KOMURO!"

Takashi heard Saeko exit the vehicle having her wooden Bokeen in her hands.

"Take this opportunity to help Miyomoto and Akio!" She exclaimed.

"NO WAY! There's too much for you to fight with just a wooden sword!" Takashi protested.

"…Just protect them…" She growled.

Saeko began her attack and put more strength into her sword so she may be able to bash into the un-dead's heads to cause enough physical trauma to die. She stood with her sword up and briefly to attempt to find an opening and continue fighting them.

Takashi, with no way to retrieve the bullets, dropped the shotgun, held Rei up as he wrapped her arms around her, almost sounding like he was just ready to die with her, then grabbed the strap for her M1A1 rifle unexpectedly.

"…Sorry."

He placed the rifle over Rei's upper chest and made sure the muzzle was pointed in the direction of the many gathering zombies.

"Hirano! How do I use this?"

"Push the lever in front of the trigger guard, disengage the safety, and then SHOOT!"

While he began to fire, and Rei began to cry out as the gun's power was shocking her body, he heard Akio's grunting, and him standing back on his feet, and heard the sound of the ignition of his lightsaber. Akio appeared to be struggling and appeared to be pushing himself to stay on his feet despite any nausea or shakiness that may have come from the shock of the impact.

He slowly limped forward and with rather improper style of walking, he held his lightsaber high in the air and proceeded to in a rather unorthodox, sloppy manner, sweep his saber side to side, cutting through any of them that made contact with the blade.

"Akio!" Saeko shouted to him.

With each passing slash, his vision began to become more darkened with red, and the ringing that most resided in his head began to relentlessly continue. Even with his tremendous effort, he couldn't entirely handle the pressure of whatever wound he had sustained, and retreated back towards the front of the Humvee and sat himself down while deactivating his weapon, closing his eyes as he could almost feel defeat draw near.

"…I can't die…I…" Akio gulped.

As he almost succumb to the pain and nearly passed out, and the sounds of gunfire continuing to rupture the air, his pain increased, while he couldn't really gather the strength to gather to stand up, something else was building up within in…It was his strength begging him to continue fighting…

"I CAN'T DIE."

The pain in a flash suddenly numbed down while his vision remained completely shaded in blood shot red. The energy and blood flow throughout his entire body allowed him to give him the strength to continue fighting for his friends.

Every single aggressive slash he wasted without moments of hesitation was a lot of zombies to die at his hand and the amount of burnt body parts that lay across the road to increase, which stunned his friends from even firing another shot from their guns.

What surprised his friends the most that, he appeared to be conducting electricity through his arms, and that lay waste to a good chunk of the zombie crowd, causing them to be finished off with the burn and shock that Akio was giving off.

Akio stood there motionless for a second, dropping his lightsaber on the ground, noticing how he had already taken care of most of the problem already, but his pain hit him all at once, causing him to break out of his consciousness. He was down once again, and didn't appear to be able to stand again.

Saeko ran over to him and bent down to slightly lift him up to check his condition, holding his head up in her left palm while her right arm gave his upper body leverage, while everyone else was recovering from the marvelous sight that they had just come to witness through what someone like Akio was able to do. It may have appeared to be victory for them, with only having the task to clear out a little bit of them, but it appeared that more zombies from the nearby neighborhoods were drawn towards them from the uproar of Force powers being unleashed, as if Akio's attempts were frowned upon.

"We need to draw them away…" Saeko said, resting Akio down.

"I'll come with you." Takashi volunteered.

Takashi and Saeko charged through whatever got in their way, Saeko with her Bokken, and Takashi using his shotgun as a club. They used whatever was at their disposal, walls nearby or lampposts, they struck them to make an echo for the zombies to follow them and not their friends.

"Komuro, this way!" Saeko gestured towards some stairs.

They climbed the stairs closer towards the apartments around, and continued…

"COME THIS WAY!" Takashi shouted as he struck an iron handle with the shotgun.


	12. Chapter 12: Running Away

All chances of escape seemed to be lost…Saeko and Takashi could only watch on as Saya lay against Rei only to hope for a quick death from the zombies, Akio laying right beside the vehicle, his eyes slightly squinting open, and his head continuing to buzz. The breach in the integrity of his head made him hear more whispers…Whispers and echoes of the past.

With this injury, that's all he'd done to react, and the injury wasn't making the remembrance and wake-up call any more pleasant.

_("…The superior match…") ("…You were my successful test…") ("-My apprentice…") ("You will become the fut- You will serve you purpose. You belong to no one but me…)_

…

_("Yes Master.")_

"I DON'T…BELONG…TO YOU."

Again...He swung aggressively with his lightsaber fighting the extreme amount of pain that the damage to his head had caused him, while everyone could only do so much as watch while frozen in fear from both the zombies closing in, and to what Akio was doing, pushing himself once again despite being set down from the head injury, he could still stand and fight if it was for the survival of his friends, even if it were to mean for him to meet his end.

"Dammit, how is he still doing this?!" Takashi questioned, astonishingly.

"He's trying to protect them..." Saeko muffled. "Even if it would mean putting himself in a complete risk."

"But how much longer is he going to go on for?" Takashi asked.

"AS LONG AS HE NEEDS TO." Saeko emphasized as she anxiously looked on.

Takashi and Saeko continued to watch Akio's unethical standoff as zombies around him were cut through with swirls of blue. Akio appeared to be beat and exhausted, but that wasn't stopping him any time soon…No matter the pain…

"Wait! LOOK!" Takashi pointed, widening his eyes.

From behind the wired fence, there were people dressed in dark attire comparable to that of a fireman's outfit. At the moment they appeared however, Akio seemed to have launched away in a flash of lightning that blurred across the street, zapping every single one of them as a result, moving away from his friends, and the aiders that have to the assistance of the rest of the group.

"…He's gone…" Takashi gasped.

Saya was able to give Rei support and carefully help her walk through the gap that the people were creating in the fence whilst Kohta, Arisu, climbed down a latter that they had offered them, to the other side.

"But they are being saved." Saeko remarked.

"The street is clear, let's go back…" Takashi said.

Saeko let out a sigh and followed Takashi back to the Humvee where their saviors in fire fighter suits were lifting up the wired fence in order for them to pass through. Saeko stood there for a brief moment looking back at the last trace of her Jedi friend Akio, with all of the zombies that were once on the street, now reduced to nothing but rubble and smoke, then passed through the gap to join with her other friends.

However for her one of her closest friend, out there all alone with a life threatening injury and a weight of emotion still resting on his shoulders, she couldn't stand for it and couldn't watch one of her friends suffer exponentially, but the best she can do for him is honor the decision he had made, and continue living just as he would have expected them to.

Saeko could however hold onto hope that she will see him again…Even for what he was, he was still a part of the group as she had and the rest of her other friends have reminded him but, with the case of these people who had rescued them, there was an uncertainty flowing through the air with everyone, seeing the fact that a real Jedi had just fought for their lives before these people had come to save them.

"Thank you so much…" Shizuka gratefully bowed to one of them.

"Of course…" The woman said.

The person in front of her began to unclip the helmet that was covering her face, and revealed herself…A woman with long purple toned hair, light purple eyes.

"It's natural that I would help my daughter and her friends."

Saya and Takashi both took notice of the woman and immediately recognized her…

"Takagi's mother…?" Takashi murmured.

"MOM!" Saya cheered.

Saya stood up and leapt towards her mother with arms wide open, then the two Takagis were able to have their reunion, mother to daughter. After a short while, the two separated from the hug, then Saya's mother approached Takashi.

"Komuro…"

"…Miss Takagi…?"

"What is his name?"

"Huh…?"

Takashi became startled of the question and was wondering if she had been preferring to Akio.

"…The Jedi…?"

"He has a name, what is it?"

"Akio Jin ma'am." Saeko spoke up.

Saya's mother looked past the fence to overlook the carnage caused by Akio.

"He had fought for you?"

"Mom, he's our friend." Saya cut in.

Her mother turned to face her daughter and judging by the look that Saya was showing her, she had absolute concern for Akio.

"He's our friend." Saya repeated.

In response, Saya's mother and let out a slight grunt not of frustration, but out of thought.

"We will find him." She assured. "For now, we must go."

"Wait, we are?!" Saya anxiously questioned.

"I will have my some of my men search for him, and guide him back wit us. That is all I'm willing to do. For now, we need to get moving as soon as possible before more come back."

Saeko looked out in the distance with the sun now setting on the horizon. "Take care of yourself Akio."

* * *

Akio had gained enough distance away from his friends by the time the sun was beginning to go down and the darkness of the night would have taken over, he had wound up in a small shrine dedicated to the Bushido rather than a Jedi…But it was the one place where he would be able to put himself at peace for the time being, as it was a proper place for meditation who practised the art of Bushido, a Jedi may also practise his meditation in the shrine…

There was no one around who was going to witness his influence in the Force, or call him out as a Jedi due to the only thing he had with him…His lightsaber, which was at his side. At the moment, he was free from harm in a sense of self seclusion in the small hut.

Sit cross-legged in the middle of the hut on a rug, looking around the shrine, using his lightsaber as a source for light, he had to act quickly to take treat the head injury he had sustained. Seeing as how there were rags hanging off from the ceiling, he concentrated with his mind and telepathically held the lightsaber in the air while he took one of the rags down and began to tear it apart piece by piece.

He used a couple pieces of the rag he had torn and used it to wipe the blood off from his head as much as possible. With no water to further clean the wound, he resorted to concentrating delicately with the Force to remove the rest of the little bits of blood from his scalp could be lifted off telepathically by concentrating on the small particles that remained so that they don't linger and cause an infection.

With the rest of the rag, he began to cover the wound and tie it together so that it can contribute as a temporary solution into healing his wound before he could get better treatment.

"…This will do for now…" He convinced himself, letting his lightsaber deactivate and land right in front of him.

Without any light to scatter away the darkness, he sat in complete silence. Even with his head wound completely wrapped up, the lingering pain from the impact was still a nuisance, and he would need to find a way to get to Saya's house. He may have lacked the knowledge of the current neighborhood he was in, but he had another solution, to reach out in the Force and locate the sense of his friends' essence.

However, out of all of them, he could feel Saeko's energy flowing rather unevenly due to their connection and long time friendship they had shared in the past. It was a sense of pity that was emitting from her energy, mixed with a sense of enlightenment and hope that he would be okay. He was okay and he needed to let her know.

* * *

Now in the sanctuary of the rather large, intimidating yet safe home that they were able to become welcomed in thanks to the position that Saya had to be the daughter of the Takagi family. The group now abide to the rules of this 'fortress' that now stood as refuge for not only them, but for many other families and people alike.

For her friends however, there was some room to sleep in the large mansion and were able to sleep on a comfortable bed to themselves.

The only one out of Takashi's friends to stay awake was Saeko Busijima, looking out the window from the room that she was given to sleep in. Looking out into practically nothingness, surrounded by darkness, as she had kept the switch to the lights off, her mind was centered on the status of Akio.

"Come back to us...Please, don't stay out there alone...I'll always be there for you."

* * *

_("I'll always be there for you.")_

Hearing the voice of Saeko come through the Force, Akio looked around and opened his eyes, and immediately noticed the change in scenery around him. Fog stretched out before him and what surrounded him was a large gap of infinite space. As he stood up from his meditative position and began to walk through this unparalleled void, he could sense a familiar, nostalgic presence suddenly form.

When he followed the path to where the presence was coming from, it was someone standing in silence, covered by a cloak, softly whimpering like trying to fight back the crushing feeling of her emotion.

"...M-M-Mizuki...?"

The person Akio claimed to be his old Jedi companion, friend, and in a way, a first time love, turned to face him, unveiling the blue eyed, brown haired girl that was Mizuki Muto in the flesh.

"...NO...NO. THIS ISN'T REAL." Akio exclaimed in denial while shutting his eyes and covering his face with his arms. "I...I..."

"It's your fault..." She said with accusation.

From that statement, the apparition of Mizuki Muto before him seemed to have vanished and split apart into little particles of dust that blew away in a sudden gust of wind.

Akio looked in shock and began to hyperventilate while taking steps backwards, feeling his heart becoming heavier, stepping away from what he had just seen. Then, he heard a coarse, mechanical breath echo nearby, and as he was unprepared for what was to come, he heard the activation of a lightsaber behind him, and his vision went completely black as he noticed a flash of red.

* * *

Akio jumped up from his sleep and breathed a sign of relief that it was just a mere illusion, something to catch him off guard. He noticed when he woke up, he wasn't in the same cross-legged position when he had originally put himself to rest for the night. He saw that he was on his side, and saw blood spilled out on the rug. As soon as he realized it was his blood, the unbearable headache that he had to endure the previous day returned.

"...I...I have...to- S...SAEKO."

Without moments of hesitation, he stood up while taking his lightsaber with him in his hands, and began to forcefully limp out towards the exit of the hut. He opened the door being introduced to new morning light and gave himself some support as he slowly limped away from the shrine. Anything that came across his path, zombies specifically, he either pushed them away with a light thrust of his palm, with the Force. Sometimes, if a zombie, or a couple of zombies managed to get to close, he would hastily ignite his lightsaber and decapitate them before moving on, it didn't matter if his one armed form was off, he just had to make it back to his friends.


	13. Chapter 13: Return of the Jedi

From inside the Takagi estate one of the balconies that had an overview of the gate that was one of the entry points of the barrier that kept the Mansion free of harm. It was Kohta who wanted to take charge and do some lookout duty for the back gate, to see if anything, whether a person, or a zombie, would be in range from the mansion gate.

Along with him, was the young girl, Arisu, with her close canine companion, Zero.

"Do you think he'll be back soon?" Arisu asked Kohta.

Kohta looked down at her and smiled, then crumpled her hair playfully. "He's a tough and smart guy, he'll be back in no time!"

"But…Kohta, what about the workers searching for him? They haven't even found anything yet..." Arisu said, frowning.

"We just have to be patient, alright?" Kohta smiled.

"Okay." Arisu chirped.

The two continued to look on towards the gate for any activity from the outside. So far there was absolutely nothing that seemed to be moving from outside the gate, but near the gate, there was Saeko, running towards the gate, calling out Akio's name. While she did this, Zero began to wag his tail and bark rather happily, followed by light whimpers.

"HE LIVES!" Kohta cried out. "WOOOOOOOOH!"

Akio had survived and he was standing behind the gate, but he appeared to be in a fragile state. From what Arisu and Kohta could see, he was even struggling to even keep his eyes open, and head straight up. As soon as the gate was opened to allow him into the estate, Saeko was the first to greet him as she held him for his support, with her arms wrapped around him as he appeared to be leaning on her due to his exhausted state.

From what appeared to be transpiring, Akio appeared to have lost his consciousness and was in the aid from Saeko. She held him as high as he could, with her arms crossed around him so that he may stay steadily up on his feet, even if it meant for him to have his feet dragging along as Saeko appeared to be doing the walking for both of them, until they both got back inside the house.

"Let's go see him!" Arisu exclaimed anxiously.

Kohta nodded in complete agreement, and Zero let out a little yelp. They went back downstairs from the balcony to the first floor of the mansion to find Saeko had lay down Akio on the ground while Shizuka had come in to inspect his condition and determine the proper course of action for his treatment. They watched from the top of the stair case.

"He's not looking well…" Shizuka sighed. "Help me carry him to your room. I'll treat him there." She told Saeko.

Saeko and Shizuka both lay Akio's arms over them as they slowly carried him up the stairs.

"Hirano! I need you to go and get me the first aid kit! It's in Miyomoto's room!" Shizuka requested.

"OKAY!" Kohta cried.

With the utmost desire to help his friend in need, he rushed to the room where Rei was in, where she lay fast asleep on the bed in the room, lay flat on her stomach, not being able to move at all due to her injury that she had sustained the other day when she fell off the vehicle, resulting in straining her back.

"Okay, okay, okay, okay, WHERE IS IT?" Kohta frantically questioned as he looked around the room.

"Kohta!" Arisu exclaimed quietly.

She pointed near Rei's bed, on the cabinet right beside it, and there was the small case shaped container with a first aid symbol painted on its surface.

"Thanks." Kohta smiled.

Kohta, with an attempt to try and keep Rei from waking up, stepped slowly towards Rei's bed, skidding across the surface of the rug. His attempt however, seemed to have failed, as the moment he was able to take grasp of the first aid kit, Rei began to awaken.

"…W…What's going on…?" She yawned.

"…He's back…" Kohta murmured.

"WAIT. A- OW!"

Rei almost had completely disregarded her injury from her back and had almost even tried to push herself up, but she was immediately reminded when the pain rushed in, forcing her to lay back down.

"Akio is back." Arisu told her.

Rushing out of the room, not even noticing the surprised look painted on Rei, Kohta had rushed through the halls of the second floor of the mansion with Arisu and Zero. Even if he was exhausted at the end, he still persevered and managed to give Shizuka the kit.

"Here…" Kohta wheezed.

"Thank you Hirano." Shizuka said.

"…We'll wait outside." Kohta said as he, Arisu, and Zero all left the room.

With Akio placed on the bed, having him leaning against the bed frame so Shizuka could properly look at his wound and treat it. On the other side, Saeko held onto Akio's still hand for that little comfort that she felt that he needed right now.

Shizuka ripped off the cloth that Akio forged himself, and began to apply some liquid alcohol, then proceeding to wipe the alcohol surrounding the wound to efficiently clean it. As Shizuka took out a tiny needle to insert a dose of penicillin into it, she began to talk again.

"How far back do you two go?" Shizuka asked as she injected the dose into his head.

"…I…I've known him for…Ever since that first year…Ever since he had come to help my team improve their sword skills."

"Your team won so many tournaments because of him…I remember that…" Shizuka remarked, as she began to wrap the bandage around his head. "Saeko…There is nothing to worry about. He wouldn't want you to place so much pressure on yourself." She then rested Akio's head down on the pillow gently.

"I…I just so many questions for him…Why…? How? He lost his friend…His…I don't know what she was to him. I just want to know what happened..." Saeko said.

As Shizuka was finishing up the wrapping and tied down the knot, she came over to Saeko and comforted her with her arm on her shoulder.

"He made a choice to make a stand for us bravely even if it was putting himself at risk. We have done all we can, we just need to wait it out and stay by him."

"I honor his decision…He's a great man..." Saeko quivered. "I want to live to see the day where all of us…People out there can take a lesson from him. Honor him for who he truly is, follow his example of compassionate sacrifice."

"…Forgive me, I need to go and finish the preparations for the ointment that Miyomoto requires." Shizuka said.

"I'm not going to leave him." Saeko stated as she cover Akio's hand with her palm. "Doctor Marikawa…" Saeko stood to face her. "Thank you so much for taking care of all of us…Thank you."

"It's my pleasure." Shizuka smiled.

Shizuka then left the room and Saeko sat back down to stay right beside Akio and hold his hand gently as she would wait for the moment where he would be able to walk without difficulty. She then looked up at the counter on the other side of the bed, looked at Akio's belongings... Akio's backpack above his personal lightsaber, and the one that had belonged to his friend, Mizuki, sitting side by side.

As she looked at the two weapons, she began to drift into thought of the events of her sophomore year, thinking back to how inseparable Akio Jin and Mizuki Muto appeared at times. The one reason that they could be so close was due to a fact that didn't go unheard around Fujimi Academy…The fact that they had lived in the same residence under the care of Akio's father, as Mizuki was an adopted child.

She would have never presumed at the time that they were Jedi, and she was glad to have learned of the connection that Akio had to the Force, and that had made her adornment for Akio to rise. Saeko felt so fortunate, as much as everyone else…Takashi, Rei, Saya, Arisu, Kohta, Shizuka…They have met a Jedi, and have witnessed to a certain extent to what a Jedi can do with his power.

"You're going to be fine...I'm not leaving you..." Saeko whispered into Akio's ear.

* * *

_There was Akio, standing with his lightsaber ignited, shining his way in a dark corridor with the blue light that emulated. As soon as he turned a corner, there she was...Mizuki Muto, curled up at the end of the corridor, rocking back and forth._

_"Mizuki! IT'S ME!"_ Akio called out. _"Come on! Let's get out of here!"_

_"...Why would I want to leave...?"_ Mizuki questioned teasefully.

_"Come on! I'm here to take you home! Please!"_ Akio pleaded.

_Mizuki stood up while laughing rather cynically, and faced Akio with her eyelids closed. When she opened them, the blue eyes that Akio knew that she had were replaced with frightening, glowing yellow eyes. The Sith had made their mark on her..._

_"I have a message from your-NO...Rather...My master..."_

_"HE'S NOT MY MASTER! HE NEVER WAS! I'm not a Sith!"_

_"He said he needs you. He needs YOU!"_

_"Never..."_

_"So be it..."_

_Mizuki focused the Force towards her right palm, and pulled her lightsaber from her side so it can so it could attracted towards her hand so she may have it ready. Akio hesitantly stepped back as Mizuki ignited her green lightsaber and charged Akio..._

_Akio had little choice and held his lightsaber up diagonally in front of him and defended from the horizontal slash._

_"If you won't stay with me, that I WILL KILL YOU."_ She threatened.

_"This was the very thing you wanted to save me from!"_ Akio retorted. _"YOU saved me."_

_Mizuki put more strength into her lightsaber and managed to push Akio back._

_"I lied to myself...I didn't save you...I just held you down...The Dark Side gives me strength, something your father couldn't give me!"_

_"This isn't you Mizuki. Snap out of it!"_ Akio plead.

_"You come to your senses and come with ME instead."_ Mizuki shot back. _"Master has promised me so much! He said we're going to create a new world, and we'll be gods at the coming dawn!"_

_"Shido is crazy Mizuki! You know how much he wants to control this world!"_

_"...Maybe...But I'm following him...I'm going to see this pathetic world be transformed into something marvelous..."_

_"It's going to be chaos!"_

_"I've had enough talking...If you wish to stay as a Jedi, then DIE a Jedi!"_


	14. Chapter 14: Family Issues

Akio let out a slight yelp from the glance of the past within his conscious. He awoke, unsure to where he currently was, but could remember the events distinctively previously, right up to when he was entering the vicinity of the Takagi estate.

He got up on his feet, rubbing his head and to his relief, his head no longer seemed to have been buzzing but he could feel a new layer of bandage wrapped up on his head. He looked over to the cabinet on the side of the bed he'd just pushed himself off of and saw his, rather...His own lightsaber, along with the lightsaber that belonged to Mizuki, and his backpack...Strange seeing it as he left his stuff behind at the Humvee when he had split off from his friends.

He would have thought otherwise the lightsabers would have both been disposed of to prevent any dispute over the leaders.

Holding out his hand, bringing up his blue lightsaber towards him via telepathy, he sat back down on the bed, activated the weapon, and became fixated staring into the blue laser, saber shaped, blade while thinking back to the memory he had revisited while resting all this time...

"How long have I been here...?" He muttered. "I can't tell them what had really happened...They won't listen, they won't believe me."

Breaking from his thought due to the sound of someone knocking on the door outside, he deactivated the blue lightsaber and placed it back beside Mizuki's.

"If I tell them, what will they do?"

Akio started to frantically twiddle his thumbs and tremble, which caused an unintentional output of use of the Force and caused some of the light objects in the room to float up in the air. When someone knocked on the door again, he was freed from the slight from his daze and whatever managed to float up in the air, such as the lightsabers and other bits of small décor in the room, landed back in their exact same position.

"Who's there?" Akio called out.

Before even going through the door, he had assurances from his instinct in the Force, scanning the essence and emotion behind the door, the calmness and the absence of aggression. There wasn't even a hint of desire for attack…He grasped the door knob and slowly turned it as he delicately opened the door, just enough to see through a small opening of who was there.

The person outside the door certainly wasn't any one of his friends, it was the face of an older woman, who appeared awfully familiar. The woman seemed to resemble a little bit to Saya Takagi but he would have to confirm that.

"Akio Jin?" The woman gently asked.

Akio then opened the door all the way to fully reveal the woman with dark, purple toned hair, purple eyes, and was wearing a red dress, also having a white cloth wrapped around her arms.

"Yes?"

"My name is Yuriko Takagi, my daughter is Saya Takagi."

"So this place…This is your home?" Akio asked.

"It's not just ours anymore." Yuriko replied. "We've come to the aid of those who needed protection and that included you and your friends."

Saya's mother then lightly bowed her head.

"Thank you so much…Please, you are more than welcome to stay."

"I will do what I can." Akio bowed in response.

The two straightened themselves and looked back towards each other.

"Your friends are waiting for you." Yuriko mentioned.

"Do they know that I'm alright?" Akio asked.

"No, not yet. Doctor Marikawa had done all that she could for you and all of your friends held on to hope that you wake up in good condition."

Yuriko then faced the direction down the hallway and began to slowly walk away from him.

"Do you know what I am?" Akio then asked.

Akio caught her attention, which then made her turn back towards Akio, showing him a light, warm smile. "A Knight. A Jedi Knight."

* * *

Inside a rather spacious bedroom where Rei Miyomoto lay on the bed, having her full body completely exposed to the rest of her friends (Excluding her bottom being covered with a towel) after the fact that special ointment, forged exclusively by the doctor, Shizuka Marikawa, was applied onto Rei's back.

Saeko, Saya, Takashi, Arisu who still had Zero at her side, Shizuka, and Kohta were gathered in the bedroom where Rei was laying down in, to have a very important discussion in regards to what must be done for the future and in relation to how those who seemed to be in authority around Saya's mansion were viewing them due to their age as according to them, they had no influence of any kind compared to the adults.

"What are we talking about again?" Shizuka questioned, peeling a banana.

"Whether we're going to stick together as a group or not." Saya said.

"…As a group…?" Rei wondered.

"Yes." Saeko nodded in agreement. "The group has become much bigger so…"

"We have two options." Saya mentioned. "We can stay with them or…"

"We can leave." Takashi sighed.

"Exactly." Saya nodded.

"But…Do we really need to go?" Takashi asked. "Your father obviously seems to know what he's doing, and your mother too."

"Of course…They always know what to do…" Saya grumbled.

Takashi looked over and to him, it seemed that Saya had something to express, something to let out, as it was showing in the tears building up on her eyes.

"She was…Always so dedicated into her work…She managed to sort this out in a couple days…If only before she had dedicated herself like that at home rather than…"

"Takagi, you shouldn't talk bad about your parents like that." Takashi said. "It's been tough for everyone, it's-"

"Did I ask YOU?!" Saya shouted, cutting off Takashi. "The Takagi's…How great their lives must be! Everything…Just EVERYTHING had to be perfect! Even their daughter! Every single day, they wanted to know where I was and what I was doing! The leash that they kept me on!"

"That's enough!" Takashi exclaimed.

"NO! It was never enough! WHERE WERE THAT LEASH YESTERDAY?! When I was out in the streets fighting for my life! WHERE. WERE. THEY?!"

"Stop it Saya!"

Takashi rushed forward and pulled Saya off the ground, by tugging at her shirt, while everyone else jumped in surprise.

"You…You don't know what I feel…" Saya shook.

"All of us feel the same…WE ALL FEEL THE SAME!" Takashi yelled, shaking Saya. "You should be relieved! At least your parents are alright!"

Everyone in the room observing the scene between Takashi and Saya kept calm and simply waited as the flow of tension seemed to be going down, slowly.

"You're right…" Saya acknowledged. "Okay, please let me go."

From there, Takashi gently put Saya back on the ground, and Saya put the glasses that managed to fall when she was hoisted up back on.

"…Sorry…" Takashi murmured.

"Yeah…" Saya shrugged. "Now anyway, what are we going to d-"

Then, the faint sounds of car engines that could slightly be heard from the outside. To get a closer look, so that…Everybody could come along.

Everyone, except Rei and Shizuka followed Saya out on to the upper deck to observe what was happening in the courtyard. Rei and Shizuka managed to get there in time, with Rei holding onto Shizuka for support.

A man from inside the front vehicle emerged. He was dressed in dark clothing, and had a personal katana holstered at his side.

"Is that…?" Takashi gasped.

"Yes." Saya nodded. "He's the former head of Tokonosu and the head of the Takagi family. He judges everything by his rules…My dad."

Continuing to observe his arrival and greetings with some of the other higher ups, including Saya's mother, who were all in charge from him not being present at the mansion. It took some but the survivors who were part of this holdout they were providing needed an extreme demonstration of the world they are now resided to.

The presentation started out by bringing in an infected man, locked inside a cage, transported via drivable lifter, and as he drew near Saya's father, he began to speak loud and clear for everyone to hear.

"This man's name is Doi Tetsutarto. He was the retainer to the Takagi family, and he is my best friend. Today, in order to save others, he was bitten as a result."

From this, the people around started to engage in conversation from the news from confusion.

"He willingly sacrificed himself, something any human being is able to do! HOWEVER, he is no longer human. He has become something extremely dangerous."

As the zombified friend of his jumped forward, craving for attack and to emerge from the cage, making everyone in the courtyard gasp, Saya's father took grip of his katana and pulled it out of the holster.

"And that is why as a man of the Takagi family, I shall fulfill my obligation to the retainer!"

One of his men removed the lock from the cage and the zombie that was once his friend, charged him. Without hesitation, he raised his katana and the blade made its cut right through the neck. The final shocking display the people were given was the retainers head now floating on the surface of the water on the fountain, the color slowly changing with his blood mixing in.

"This is the present we are facing! Even if they were close friends or family members, you must defeat them without hesitation. If you want to survive, YOU MUST FIGHT!"

The presentation was now over and the overwhelming shock still remained as Saya's father slowly walked away into the mansion, followed by his wife and other subordinates.

"Hirano…? You don't look so well…" Takashi commented, looking at his friend's current expression.

"Swords are inefficient…" Kohta murmured.

"What?"

"I said they're inefficient!" Kohta shouted. "A Japanese sword would break when it hits bone! It can't last as long as a lightsaber!"

"You cannot say that for certain Hirano." Saeko said. "In the way of the sword…Even being practised by a Jedi, your numbers will determine your strength. The technique, the sword quality, the person's mental strength, when these three are high leveled, you will not lose your strength no matter how many you must face."

"But a lightsaber can cut through anyone so easily!" Kohta retorted. "If a metal sword gets blood on it then-"

"Hirano, that's enough." Takashi cut in, trying to put a hand close to him.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Kohta exclaimed, swatting his hand away. "And don't look at me! You can't even fire a gun properly!"

"Hirano! You need to calm down!" Saya emphasized.

Unable to take any more of this little disagreement and frustration that he had caused, he ran away back inside the house as fast as he was able to, so he could get away from his friends. Takashi and Arisu took the task in pursuit and confrontation of his friend, to try and further resolve their conflicts.

* * *

Akio was nowhere near his friends…In fact, he had been watching Saya's father carry out his speech and demonstration to the crowd of people, concealing himself by watching the entire thing from behind some bushes that lay scattered around the courtyards perimeter.

From there, he went to calm himself in a soothing, peaceful environment. Quietly standing above a Koi pond, located in one of the rather isolated sections of the mansion, split off by trees, observing the fish swimming along, he crossed his arms and held his two lightsabers under his pits, while he had his arms crossed.

"I have to…I have to tell them…" He told himself.

Right when he was beginning to fall into slight slumber, his focus became rekindled with the feeling of a hand touching his shoulder. Without even looking, he already knew who it was.

"Akio…" She whispered. "Thank you for coming back."

"Saeko." Akio sighed. "I'm okay."

From there, Saeko seemed to wrap her arms around Akio and held him close, while he still remained in his same composure, still keeping his arms crossed over his chest and keeping his lightsabers under his pits. It felt…Peaceful and heart-warming to feel the close presence of an old companion that he had shared history with. When they separated, Akio then noticed the blue kimono that Saeko was wearing and sighed of the sight.

"What's wrong?" Saeko asked.

"...Nothing...Nothing to talk about." Akio murmured.

Akio bent down on one knee, put his lightsabers down, and lightly poked the pond's surface with the tip of his forefinger and to Saeko's surprise, yet understanding, the fish all seemed to gather, having their attention focused on the Jedi, drawn to him like he had some little bits of food for them.

"Maybe..." Akio sighed, standing up facing Saeko. "If we have another group discussion, I will tell you everything...Everything."

"Oh! Look who woke up!"

Akio turned his attention to look behind Saeko and saw Saya standing there with a slight grin. He had noticed Saya too, had her clothing changed, as she was now wearing a white shirt, a dark skirt, and dark high boots.

"What the HELL did you do?" Saya questioned.

"...You mean my control of electricity?" Akio asked, recalling what he did.

"YES." Saya exclaimed.

"That is something I wish to save for later." Akio groaned, turning away.

As Akio had his sight turned back towards the Koi, and pulled his weapons up to his hands, Saeko faced Saya while she gently rubbed Akio's shoulder.

"Is he going to be okay?" Saya asked concernedly.

"He's not ready to speak yet." Saeko responded.

While Akio continued to look down at the Koi, continuing to swim along, he also looked down at both lightsaber hilts and became fixated in his own thoughts.

"But there is something I didn't get the chance to say." Saya mentioned. "That entire thing…With how you took out all of those zombies…That was really amazing. I just…wanted to say thank you."

"You are most welcome." Akio muttered, still not bothering to face her. "There are some things that are more important to discuss."

Akio's tone then became much more serious and this time, he turned to face Saya.

"Those people, they don't even appear partially ready to adapt."

Saya nodded then said. "If they can't handle the situation of the new world then…" She turned her attention towards Saeko.

"They may be unable to accept a piece from the old world."

"Yeah…" Akio sighed. "I'm still greatly appreciative that I have accepted me for who I truly am being with all of you but, I can't say the same for those people. I don't want to be any trouble…"

"Don't leave!" Saeko pleaded.

"If anyone gives you any trouble at all-!" Saya growled.

"What are your parents' opinions on someone like me?" Akio interrupted. "No..." He shook his head and re-worded his question. "Rather, your father's opinion? I have already met your mother."


	15. Chapter 15: The Truth Hurts

Takashi had been looking throughout the house, with the motivation he had received, with Arisu trying to tell him to at least try to go and talk with Kohta again. Right outside, right when this entire situation took him back to the memory of his teacher in the second year of middle school. A little prideful lecture about a point in time in history: "Mutiny on the Bounty."

The teacher at the time compared the event of the British warship landing in Tahiti on 1788 to Takashi's class looking forward to the spring break. Even with the difficult voyage the crew had gone through in order to settle on the island, their views had drastically changed.

Thus, mutiny broke out due to the multiple disagreements and conflicts that arose between those who were ready to return to their previous lives, and those who were willing to hold onto the paradise they had found.

Takashi had never truly cared about that teacher's passion of that historical event, but now with the entire situation that forced himself and many others into a different world, it was all starting to become more connected to him than it did years back. It may have not been another spring break that had branched him and others off their original lives, but it was still something that could potentially threaten the well-being of anyone.

"Takashi!"

Turning to see Arisu, along with Zero, she was nearly exhausted from sprinting to him, and gave her his full attention.

"Come with me quick! It's Kohta and Akio…! They're in trouble!" She yelped.

"Wait, he's AWAKE?!"

* * *

Sensing the large amounts of distress and helplessness that seemed to be emulating in the air, Akio seemed to have followed that sense, holding off Saya's answer to his question for now until Akio could possibly lend some contribution to resolve what was occurring.

As he was nearing the source of the conflict, he started to eavesdrop on the situation.

"NO! I WON'T DO IT."

It was Kohta…And he was surrounded by a group of adults as he held onto every single gun that he had obtained back at the high rise.

"HAND THEM OVER." One of them demanded.

"You really shouldn't have weapons all to yourself. They're not toys, they need to be given to someone responsible." Another said.

With Akio making his presence fairly obvious to Kohta's provoker's, the sight of the lightsaber hilts dangling at Akio's side, the men began to direct their attention more over to a Jedi rather than a chubby teenager with a mini arsenal.

The expectation of having a warm greeting seemed to be rather slim, and now the overwhelming presence of a Jedi seemed to be making the situation a lot worse. Akio found himself right in the middle of the encircling adults with Kohta, focusing and had appeared to prevent himself from drawing his weapons to establish fear, even if it seemed like the easier tactic to use.

Even with the use of the Force could establish more fear than a lightsaber. Right then and there, Akio could simply focus his Force energy, and push out so the adults surrounding them can be forced to run away. It may even be possible to focus on their minds and persuade them to walk away, but if anyone else were to hear about such an occurrence, there would be an uprising in the Takagi estate, and more assumptions and rumors may be spread around to an unhealthy level, which may cause more unnecessary conflict.

A Jedi mind trick or rather…Any use of the Force at all, was not the vital solution that seemed to be the best at point in time like on the bus or when he and his friends were cornered…

"Okay, that's enough! Let's wrap this up and teach these kids a lesson!"

The rest of the group seemed to be of approval and continued their intimidating approach. Persuasion didn't appear to be looking effective from Akio's point of view. The adults were still closing in, Kohta was still on the ground broken into tears.

Not even bearing to hear the cries of his friend, Akio drew the men back and finally reached the point where he pulled his blue lightsaber on them, which seemed to finally convince them to take a few steps back. He was doing it out of defense, fighting for the rights that he and Kohta have in these conditions.

"My friend has the right to his weapons just like I have the obligation to mine!" Akio cried.

However, unexpectedly, the energy and focus being directed towards Kohta and Akio seemed to fire back amongst themselves.

"Wait…Who does THIS kid think he is?! I thought all of those were destroyed!"

"WAIT! No! We will not confiscate the Jedi's weapons. He-"

"Compared to guns, those light swords should have all been destroyed! All of his kind should have been dead by now!"

"How do we know that these kids are not just…Kids."

"WHAT IS ALL OF THIS COMMOTION?"

The men had continued to back away from the voice that suddenly boomed right all in between them. Akio recognized the voice matching to the man who had spoken out front to the crowd. Akio chose to lower his guard, and deactivated his lightsaber as the man approached them, leaving his wife to continued observe the ongoing occurrence.

He looked down at them…It was Saya's father.

"I am Souichiro Takagi, former lord of Tokonosu, master of tendo sogon-ryu. Tell me your names."

"K-K-Kohta Hirano!" Kohta let out while continuing to stutter and weep. "Fujimi Academy, Class 2-B roster number thirty two!"

"Akio Jin…" Akio plainly said. "Jedi Knight. I had gone to Fujimi-"

Souichiro raised his fist in the air, signalling Akio to stop speaking as if hearing he was a Jedi was enough. He continued to stare at him and Kohta fiercely.

"I see spirit in both of you and according to what I have heard, you have both been through a lot before making it here. I suppose you are not willing to give up your weapons?"

"NO SIR!" Kohta cried. "Without the guns…I'm-I-I'm going back to the way I was before!"

"And you?" Souichiro asked Akio. "I trust my wife's words and the accounts of my men witnessing what you have done…But I want you to tell me, what compels you?"

"…For the lives of many, I have built my sabers and re-kindled my connection to the Force, to embrace who I truly am." Akio turned his head down towards Kohta. "Hirano has discovered his true potential for the first time in his life. He has so much knowledge and admiration for weapons that even if he held it for the first time a couple days ago while I've come to know the specs of my lightsabers for years." Akio then turned his head back up to face Saya's father. "I speak for the both of us that we embrace our gifts, skills, and knowledge, and use them for the aid of others."

By the time he had finished speaking, his entire group of allies had come to their support. With them also complimenting their strengths and standing in defense for them, that was enough for Souichiro to let them be, in addition to his seemingly rising curiosity on the history of a Jedi Knight.

* * *

The sky seemed to alter as the day continued to go on. The bright blue sky suddenly became covered in dark clouds and as a result, rain came pouring down.

Even after the approval of Kohta to hold on to his weapons, and people discovering the true nature of Akio, and people in the camps unable to cope with the ongoing status at hand. In order to try and possibly relieve the tension that was going on between a group of people and their resistance against the head of the Takagi estate, Saya, Kohta, Takashi, and Akio went to discuss the matter, sheltered inside the spacious tent.

"How many times will I have to tell you people?!" Saya began. "The fact that they tell us that a disease is causing people out there to turn into those monsters?! Our government is just using that as an excuse because they can't figure out why dead bodies have begun attacking people!"

"You're saying these people are really dead?!" A man questioned. "Don't be ridiculous! It has to be a new disease!"

"Indeed!" A woman shouted out. "This cannot be happening without reason!"

"Well of course there is a reason!" Saya shouted. "However, none of us are going to figure it out! Unless you're a research scientist who has access to a suitable laboratory!"

"...Er..." The woman hesitated and no words seemed to come out.

"We just need to concentrate on survival! Avoid getting eaten!" Saya emphasized. "Did you not listen to what my father had said?!"

The woman who appeared to be hesitant and rather low confidence to speak, suddenly seemed to have a wide grin on her face.

"So that's what you really wanted to say? I was just wondering why high school kids are running around with guns and..." She then focused mainly on Akio, and the noticeable lightsabers. "Weapons that shouldn't even exist!"

"But they do." Akio said, allowing his blue lightsaber to levitate onto his palm.

"WHY IS A JEDI EVEN ALLOWED HERE?!" Another man from the adult crowd shouted.

"No matter who I am or no matter what you think I am, I just want to survive and help anyone I can." Akio said.

The woman who seemed to be speaking on behalf of the crowd seemed to concur with what the other man shouted out previously. "Okay, so they were telling the truth when they said you are who you claim to be! Here's the problem with all of you! You Jedi were just like the people in charge of this mansion! They controlled us through violence! Nothing has ever changed! This is a problem that the entire world has been facing for years! It all starts with people like YOU! And your people have claimed to be the keepers of the peace! How dare you!"

"What does the past and the rest of the world have in relation to any of this...?" Saya muttered in question.

"The Jedi order only fought because the-"

"NO! You listen to me kid!" The woman then turned and faced the entire crowd. "And everyone! The one's telling us to become killers are those people!" She pointed her finger more towards Saya and her friends. "That man's daughter and the Jedi! THEY PROMOTE VIOLENCE!"

"…What are you trying to say?" Takashi asked.

"You kids have no say in this matter!"

"We've been through just as much as you have!" Takashi shot back.

"From now on the adults are making the decisions! Peacemakers!" The woman declared. "Not some filthy upper class, or bratty high school kids who are already accustomed to violence!"

"THAT'S RIGHT!" The crowd shouted.

"We are against the act of being controlled by violence!" The woman pleaded.

"We are against!" The crowd repeated.

Unable to convince the crowd to alter their views to accept the realities, Akio, Saya, Takashi, and Kohta all went back to the front of the mansion, and stood right outside the door.

"…Good job Takagi…" Kohta said.

"I just only talked to her because she was speaking badly about my father but it got nowhere and now I have to deal with two important people being insulted!" Saya growled.

"Why did you just let them shun you out?" Takashi questioned Akio.

"Partially…" Akio murmured.

"What?" Takashi asked.

"The Jedi weren't who they thought they were after many great conflicts that have arose." Akio sighed.

"Wait?! You're actually agreeing with that woman?!" Saya exclaimed.

"In a way, she was right." Akio admitted. "I'm not against using my lightsaber but the Jedi many years ago had their sense of peace drowned in the state of war."

"Like the Vietnam War!" Kohta acknowledged. "Even before World War II."

"That's right." Akio nodded.

"What were you trying to say to her?" Takashi asked.

"I was trying to emphasize that…They fought and took part in war because it was for the sake of defense, for the sake of resolving conflict." Akio replied. "I wish that there was…There was a way to end this global crisis but…but…People aren't even willing to…"

Akio appeared to be as if he began to stutter tremble immensely, and little bits of tears seemed to escape his eyelid.

"May I have some time alone?" Akio asked.

"...Sure." Saya nodded.

With a wave of his hand, he opened the front door of the mansion with the Force and slowly walked inside, then closed the door right behind him, again, with the influence of telepathy.

"That's too bad..." Saya frowned. "I hate seeing him like that."

"...But, doesn't it seem like there's something he wants to tell us but is afraid of how we're going to react?" Kohta suggested. "Something just doesn't feel right..."

"That could be it." Saya agreed. "He had even wanted to talk to all of us about something."

"But what could he want to talk about exactly?" Takashi wondered.


	16. Chapter 16: Confession

Within the boundaries of the Takagi estate, there was a small shrine that stood for purposes towards meditation practices.

Inside, sitting eye to eye, one cross legged, the other sitting on her knees, Souichiro Takagi and Saeko Busujima sat together, and discussed somethings over some kind of katana that had some form of significance. As Saeko looked down at the katana that lay in her care, Souichiro began to speak and emphasize how important it seemed as Saeko appeared to prove her worth, being the daughter of Master Busujima, she would not taint its value, so she was welcome to have the honor of wielding it.

As Saeko removed the sword from its holster, she gasped as she began to examine it and take in particular interest to it.

"...This is..."

"Do you see it now?" Souichiro asked.

"The blade is slightly shallow and it has a double edged curve." Saeko observed.

Putting the sword back into its holster, she looked back up to Souichiro. "It's labeled Kanemasa Firearm. This is a Murata sword."

"Impressive…" Souichiro remarked. "It was the Meiji Era, General Murata, who was known for the Murata Rifle. He had that sword forged in the Tokyo Artillery Arsenal. It has been said that he was able to cut a pig's skull in two without leaving a mark on the blade."

"The width of the blade." Saeko said.

"It is yours now." Souichiro declared.

Saeko put the sword down in front of her, and then something suddenly came to mind. Why…?

"I do not mean to sound rude but I cannot accept this without good reason."

"I had received the training from Master Busujima." Souichiro explained. "Please take it as my token of appreciation?"

"Then I think it would be best if you would give it to my father yourself." Saeko sternly said.

Souichiro in hearing the amount of seriousness in her voice, let out a laugh, out of remarks for her not being afraid to express her opinions.

"You are truly a daughter of the Busujima family!" Souichiro exclaimed. "You're very honest!"

"I apologize for that sir." Saeko sighed.

"I am giving you that sword because of my daughter. She still has much to learn." Souichiro said.

"I admit, I had saved her life but she had also saved mine in a way." Saeko admitted. "If you would do anything to protect your daughter, then why not just keep her at your side? The daughter of the Takagi family loves her parents very much."

"They say that both parents and children can be the same?" Souichiro wondered.

"Or rather instead of me you can give it to…M-my J-Jedi friend. Akio." Saeko suggested. "He deserves it much more than I do. Although…"

"Hmm…Your friend has shown bravery to stand and fight in the buried arts of the Jedi." Souichiro commented. "Although I had known him for a short period of time, I have seen his compassion, and I have seen his loyalty. Do you have faith that he will stand for everyone and make the right decision?"

"…"

Saeko was unable to let out even a single word and remained silent and couldn't help but blush.

"I respect such a fine young man and how much you seem to hold him up in your regards most definitely deserves my appraisal as well. Such power that he wields, and he chooses to selflessly protect those in danger, even if it meant further harm onto him."

"I have known Akio ever since my sophomore year and even before I had discovered his true identity, he has helped me so many times and had continued to do so even if it meant bringing up painful memories...And I have yet to know how to…What to do in return."

"Painful memories?"

Souichiro stared at Saeko with a rather stern look in his eye. Saeko only looked away from him and looked down at the katana and sighed.

"As he continues to remain, I too appreciate his presence. I am certain that he was very grateful to see that you would never give up on such a person. That I am sure he holds deeply in his heart."

"Thank you sir." Saeko said, bowing her head. "He has been very much alone for too long. I will never let him leave us again."

"Hmm…I understand the faith you are putting into a Jedi Knight however…To me it sounds like there is something that he is unable to detach himself from. Although I have seen and have heard of his noble actions, and have heard of his skill with a weapon that is just as valuable, if not more than the sword I had just given you. The time is now however, to decide whether he will remain engulfed in past conflicts, or continue to prosper in the future? I will await for the answer to be revealed but that decision cannot be made without support. Now go."

Saeko widened her eyes when she saw the head of the Takagi family stand back onto his feet and he pointed his arm towards the exit of the shrine.

"Go." He repeated.

* * *

Sitting on the bed inside the large room where Rei had originally lay on while recovering from her back injury, he became rather fixated of the pounding of the rain on the windows, the burst of dim lightning, and the sight of his inactive lightsabers, floating in the air in front of him.

"I can't do it Mizuki…I can't do it...I'm unworthy. I cannot protect them."

"Why would you say that?"

Akio's concentration in the Force seemed to suddenly burst when he turned around to see Rei Miyomoto standing at the door, and that caused his two lightsabers to fall to the floor.

"Miyomoto…?"

Rei sat down beside Akio on the bed, while Akio kept his sight away from her, although she tried to be as soothing as possible, even going as far as pushing her palm down on his hand, until she allowed for her fingers to interlock with his. Akio remained compliant, even if he had just wanted to just keep it all in, and force his way out of the room.

"I have not been completely honest with all of you." Akio murmured. "I'm sorry…"

"It's okay…" Rei whispered.

"Ever since the beginning…Ever since Mizuki had passed, I lied." Akio sighed. "I lied to all of you. I'm afraid of the truth...I'm afraid of going out alone."

"All of us are here for you, we won't let you go." Rei said.

"That's right."

Rei and Akio found themselves splitting from the lock in their fingers, and they looked to see Takashi standing there, with a wide proud grin on his face.

"WE GOT YOUR BACK." Takashi exclaimed.

Then, when Takashi seemed to have walked inside the room and closed the door, it seemed now that the door opened one more time and just like that, everybody Akio had been with throughout the time of the beginning of the world's crisis, from the escape of Fujimi Academy to the blockade on the road.

Everybody, showed their deepest concerns for him, and that seemed to have re-assured him the trust that he had established between his friends. Akio took some calm breaths then took a chair and took a chair and sat down his group.

"I'm...It's only fair that I tell you the truth. Everything. It's not easy..."

"Do you need a few moments?" Shizuka asked.

"NO." Akio boomed. "It's time. Please listen to what I need to say."

"Go ahead Akio." Saeko said.

Akio let out one more sigh as he pulled his lightsabers directly towards him with the Force, channeling some energy through his palm and allowing him to take hold of his lightsaber, and Mizuki's.

"There is something that we Jedi have been fighting throughout history. Our enemies who had sought control had been reprimanded and forgotten. The Sith."

Everyone, unsure as to how they could respond, they continued to listen with their all of their focus.

"Like the Jedi, the Sith had practised in the ways of the Force and exercised lightsaber use but they did not seek to use their powers for the security of other people. They only looked to themselves to dominate those they choose to do their bidding. One had selected me when I was five."

"YOU WERE KIDNAPPED?!" Takashi gasped.

"Not only that…But that's the day my mother-…She…"

The tension in the room appeared to have begun increasing and that pressure that Akio had been feeling, forcing himself not to break down into complete tears, was being exhilarated through everyone. Zero had begun to whine while resting down on all fours.

"…Seven years…" Akio began once more. "Seven years, learning abilities and witnessing things that I thought were impossible. Until…One day, it was my father who had taken his apprentice he had been training ever since my disappearance."

"…And that was…"

"I'll never forget waking up to the sight of my father and Mizuki sitting side by side as Master and Apprentice, welcoming me home."

"Is it alright if I ask something?"

"Feel free Hirano…" Akio nodded.

"How were you even able to train…?"

"I'm wondering the same thing." Saya said. "But I want to know the "impossible" bit you're talking about."

"...We had our secrets…We had our place to freely practice with our lightsabers and test our skills in the Force." Akio explained. "That's not what's important right now. I suppose that some of you remember our second year?"

"…Yes…" Saeko frowned.

Everyone else, except Arisu, seemed to nod their heads. In Fujimi Academy, it was impossible to not hear of the news that Akio's close friend was supposedly, "gone."

"It's my fault that she is not here with us. I failed…I failed to keep her spirit and body intact."

"What does that mean?" Rei wondered, quivering.

"From the light, she fell into the darkness that I had been trapped in. The same darkness that she freed me from, was now in complete control of her destiny. I tried to do what she had done for me but my efforts were futile. I didn't bring her home…I struck her down."

In hearing this, the entire group gasped in surprise.

"She is still out there. She wants me to be by her side, but whoever she is now, is not the Mizuki I loved." Akio looked down at the old lightsaber that belonged to her, then tossed it at his feet. "I was foolish to think it had all ended that night…I was to live my life, completely forget everything that I have known and live among everyone. No reason to use my lightsabers or powers to try and help anyone anymore but-"

"The day everything came to an end…" Takashi dazedly said.

"Is the day my previous captor had unleashed this…thing, that he created to enhance the strength of an individual. I'm so sorry…I not only ruined Mizuki, but I took the world down with her. There's no way I can stop it now."

Saya seemed to jump right out of her seat and yell as if trying to pop her lungs. "YES YOU CAN!"

Everyone else in the room seemed to widen their eyes from the sudden burst.

"Yes you can." Arisu cried.

"Wait...Y-y-you believe me?" Akio stuttered. "I was convinced that every single one of you thought there was no true explanation to it-"

"And you gave us that explanation." Saya cut in.

"Just like that?" Akio asked.

"Um-hmm." Saya smiled.

For a moment, Akio looked down at the floor, began to lightly chuckle, then the volume of laughter he let out seemed to increase, but then lowered down with him unable to resist the urge to cry. It was then Saeko who had come closer to him and patted him on the shoulder, followed by Arisu, who seemed to hug Akio's arm, and Zero was barking happily while sitting up looking at him...

Shizuka, Rei, Takashi, Saya, and Kohta, encircled their one and only Jedi friend and gave him a little tap on the shoulder.

"HEY! Who votes Akio to be the leader?" Takashi asked.

Immediately everyone raised their arms in the air, counting in for their faith they were putting into Akio. Zero even seemed to show his agreement with a one big bark, and him wagging his tail happily. Mixing in with the enlightenment in the room, Akio felt a sudden cold sensation rush through his body. That enlightenment that was felt in the room, seemed to slip away only for him as he was the only one who could feel it slowly moving close.

"But Akio, who did all of this?" Rei suddenly asked.

Akio seemed to stand back up and take both of the lightsabers and clipped to his side, and slowly walk towards the door. He grabbed the door knob as everyone anxiously waited for him to answer.

"The one who had delayed your education."

With that, Akio turned the door knob, stepped out of the room, and closed it.

"...Shido did this...?" Rei growled.

* * *

**I don't really like to leave author's notes too much anymore but tell me what you all thought of this chapter! **


	17. Chapter 17: Try Not

So as the day seemed to carry on and the rain continued to pour down from the sky, arrangements and requests were being prepared, under Takashi's request.

After all this time, ever since the outbreak had occurred, he still had a desire to go out into the city and attempt to find both his and Rei's parents no matter what but there was a catch, Souichiro did not guarantee their welcome, as they would inevitably need to depart the mansion soon and bring people who are able to survive.

So Takashi then made a clear understanding that if he was not back before he had managed to rescue the parents, he would tell Souichiro to forget about him and go.

So…He was practically all set and ready to go, he had his shotgun, his ammo, and his pack with some supplies. Rei Miyomoto even appeared to be ready to step outside the security of the Takagi estate, as she already re-strapped herself with the M1A1 rifle.

Akio too was with them in the lobby of the mansion, and had both his lightsabers strapped onto his sides, and his pack over his shoulders. Since he, the Jedi of the group, was declared leader, he now had much more motivation to guide and protect his fellow comrades, using his powers he has in the Force, and the lightsabers he still valued greatly.

"So…" Takashi spoke up. "Ready?"

A little cold feeling came to Akio, which was tingling through the Force, bringing his attention to something else.

"Hello?"

As the rest of the group seemed to become present to see their new leader's…blank expression, slowly moving his hand towards his main lightsaber, trembling. Although his friends could not comprehend right away why he was trembling, Rei seemed to be the first to gasp in realization on why. Letting the bayonet of her rifle extend out forward, she attempted to charge towards the outside, but, Akio stopped her with a flick of his arm, to signal her to cease.

"NO, let me."

Akio held on tightly to his inactive, primary, lightsaber as he slowly walked towards the front door, his heart rate increasing as he inched ever closer to the source of disturbance. His adversary was right outside the door, and he had no idea Akio was there, listening to his voice, grumbling.

"Shido…"

He had heard enough, Koichi Shido was trying to convince one man of his nobleness. Even if he had true claims, such as the will and obligation to protect his own as a teacher, but there was a certain piece of the truth Shido was leaving out. His students were now officially his own, every single word they have indulged in has twisted their state of mind and morality. Great dark intentions had resided within him, however, the Force seemed to be telling Akio something much more within these dark intentions.

For a slim chance to possibly reverse the damage Shido had inflicted on his students, and prevent the damage he may yet inflict upon them in the future, and maybe receive justice for Rei Miyomoto, Akio for his part in this self-inflicting, personal war, drew his lightsaber and ignited the device, allowing the tip of the blade to come in close contact to Shido's neck.

"J-J-Jin…You're alive?"

"I've survived much more than this entire ordeal…We have both survived this entire ordeal for years. You were the one who helped your father, you were the one who took her away."

As his friends seemed to only watch in anticipation and grief, Akio held up his secondary weapon.

"Do you remember this?"

Shido tremored from the familiar sight of Mizuki Muto's lightsaber in Akio's hand.

"Well I-"

So that Shido had no means for escape, he ignited the green lightsaber and criss-crossed that with the blue blade, both held at the sides of Shido's neck.

"Even in her twisted state, the same weapon she vowed to use to protect others, she used against me, and served a selfish purpose."

"Y-y-you aren't going to kill me are you? You know your teachings! Vengeance is not part of your morality!" Shido exclaimed.

"IT WAS BECAUSE OF YOU!"

As lightning seemed to strike, Souichiro Takagi, his wife, and other workers of the Takagi estate came to witness the occurrence at hand.

"KILL HIM IF YOU WISH." Souichiro boomed. "I had been associated with this man's father, but that doesn't mean anything to me anymore. If there are things this man and his father deserved to be punished for then kill him if you must!"

No one even dared to come closer to Akio holding Shido's ground with his sabers.

"Will you do it?" Shido asked.

Akio kept his lightsaber fixated, and looked back to look at Rei, rather surprised to see she had a look of not anger and lust for vengeance, but of pity and sadness.

"Killing you will be easy, and I can satisfy many others from your death, and I can take away something your father values in the process. You. If it weren't for you or your father instructing you, I probably would not have stopped practising with the Force and Mizuki would still be here with me. We could have made…"

"A future you will never have because of our sins." Shido stated. "I may not have dealt with you personally at Fujimi, nor in our previous encounters, but will you strike me down and give into anger just as my father had taught you, or will you stand down, and resist your anger just as YOUR father taught you?"

So, with Shido now shooting a grin at Akio, and Akio looking straight at him as the blue and green lightsabers were at his neck, he contemplated, and he thought. To follow the Sith Lord that still resided within him, or the Jedi Knight that he claimed to be?

The tension seemed to slowly release from his body, and he finally made the decision…He deactivated his lightsaber and put them back at his side, and everyone else watching seemed to breath a great sigh of relief.

Akio turned around, walked away from Shido and approached Souichiro.

"He has done too much to me, but that's nothing compared to what his father had put him through. He is however, not free of guilt and fear, and that alone will stalk him until his final breath."

"What do you suppose we do?" Souichiro questioned.

"Throw him out into the world he had a part in creating, along with his supporters. The damage is already done."

Akio trailed off and kept himself inside the mansion, watching from the balcony to see Shido and his students being thrown out of the Takagi estate, using the bus they had originally entered in, to leave and drive away from the premises.

After some time, he went back downstairs to the front of the mansion and looked onward to the courtyard until the rain eventually came to a halt and the evening sun had shun over the horizon. When he could sense that someone was behind him, he nearly drew his lightsaber before realizing it was Saeko, and allowed her to stand by his side as they looked out into the distance together.

"You chose mercy despite all he has done." Saeko commented.

"I would not call what I did "mercy."" Akio said. "I would have granted him mercy through death. Out there, he is not free. Nothing was of his will, and everything he has done will torment him until…"

"Until…?"

"If he desires to correct things as much as I do." Akio mentioned. "My father has always taught me to never try, but do. For everyone suffering, I have to stop this or die in vain. We must seize control of the future, otherwise this world will plummet into eternal darkness."

"So what are we going to do boss?"

Hearing Kohta's voice, he and Saeko rotated themselves around and the entire group was standing there, with the utmost faith they were showing in their smiles.

"We'll need to be patient." Akio replied. "It's half way across the city. We still need a transport."

"The Humvee we have is salvageable." Saya said.

"Hmm…Komuro, Miyomoto, do you still wish to save your parents?" Akio asked. "I will help you in any way I can."

"Thank you Akio!" Rei squealed.

"Wait, what about stopping this whole thing? What about your dad?" Takashi questioned, frantically.

"The streets are going to be much more deadly than ever before, you'll need my help." Akio answered.

Akio walked forward and his friends created an opening so he can walk past them, and also go back inside.

"WAIT! WHAT ABOUT YOUR DAD?!" Takashi repeated.

"...Doesn't he care about his own daddy?" Arisu questioned.

"It's going to have to wait." Shizuka told Arisu. "Maybe- OH!"

"What?" Kohta asked. "We can try to find his dad after we find Komuro and Miyomoto's?"

"Something else!" Shizuka exclaimed with joy. "I REMEMBERED! YES! THAT'S IT!"

Shizuka then began to start jumping up and down frantically.

"What is it?" Arisu asked.

Shizuka went up to Arisu and held her in a tight hug, and then held her, and Zero, who was in Arisu's arms, then explained.

"I remembered my friend's phone number!"

"The one with the guns and the Humvee? That friend?" Rei asked.

"Yes." Shizuka replied. "She is with the S.A.T: Special Assault Team. She's got to be alive! And oh-oh!" Shizuka began to frantically wave her arms in the air, letting go of Arisu and Zero. "GIVE ME THE PHONE! GIVE ME THE PHONE!"

As Shizuka was handed the phone, she began to just tinker with it, to the group's annoyance, since she was checking if the numbers were in the right place. Everyone would just wondered. _When is she going to make the call already?_

"Want me to press it for you?" Kohta groaned.

"Don't distract me, you're going to mess me up." Shizuka said.

Shizuka held the phone to her ear and awaited for the call to pull through, if her friend was still alive. Then...

"RIKA!"

Her call made it through...

_"..."_

"A lot has happened to me too!"

"..."

"Your place isn't good anymore."

"...-"

The phone seemed to suddenly pop, and smoke seemed to exhilarate from it as the group witnessed a giant light overtake the sky suddenly.

"No..." Saya gasped. "Miyomoto! Akio!"

"Yes?" Rei responded in question.

"Check the gun sight, Akio, check your lightsabers." Saya requested.

Rei aimed the M1A1 rifle upwards and looks through the red dot sight attachment to see that the red dot on the scope was dysfunctional. Akio on the other hand was having more luck...Both lightsabers, blue and green, ignited without difficulty, to Akio's relief.

"It's a good thing my father had us build it to withstand Electromagnetic Pulse attacks." Akio said.

"Electromagnetic Pulse?" Rei questioned. "Wait...I can't see any dot."

Hearing a gunshot erupt in the distance, the group seemed to jump, then went down a flight of stairs, just before the last flight of stairs that would have them set foot onto the courtyard.

"That was a High Altitude Nuclear Explosion." Akio explained. "Deadly to electronics, it destroys its main circuit in order for it to be disabled through the spread of electrons influenced by gamma radiation, spread across the atmosphere."

"Yeah, that's right." Saya nodded.

"So wait...does that mean...?" Rei gasped in question.

"Electronics are dead!" Saya exclaimed. "Everything! Cell phones, computers, cars, and the power plants! Only the Self Defense Force and small parts of the government have taken anti-EMP measures." She looked back at Akio. "I'm actually surprised that Jedi were prepared for it to."

"My lightsaber will be useable for the time being. I'll need to examine certain parts later." Akio said.

Looking down at the courtyard again, Souichiro's men were lining candles up at the center.

"Will there be any way to fix it?" Souichiro's voice echoed.

"Dad?"

The group turned their attention to Souichiro, with his wife Yuriko, and one of his men, walking down the stairs, approaching them.

"Well, there may be some cars that haven't sustained that much damage. Classic cars should be able to work." Saya mentioned.

"Go and check immediately." Souichiro ordered his men.

"Yes sir!"

"SAYA!" Souichiro boomed.

"Huh…?"

"I must say that I am most impressed that you were able to stay calm in this situation. For that, you earn my appraisal." Souichiro complimented.

Just as he was finished his statement, yet another gunshot erupted the air, followed by the screaming sounds of panic coming from the front iron gate. Akio had his blue lightsaber ready in hand and made dashed into the courtyard to lend his assistance to the struggling defenders.

With faith that the extra work committed when his and Mizuki's lightsabers were built in order for them to continue functioning after the EMP, he began to swing his main lightsaber diagonally and upward, utilizing a defensive form trying to create a barrier for himself, to allow his lightsaber to slice through the undead, while defending himself without becoming overwhelmed by the large hoard, giving some of the other defenders time to retreat towards the boundaries of the Takagi estate.

The lightsaber continued to function and many of the Takagi estate's residences and guards were witnessing the strength and complexity of a Jedi Knight, just as Akio's peers have seen. With the zombies in range of the mansion, slaughtered, postponing an attack of a bigger hoard of zombies on their way, he retreated back to the courtyard, giving the men an opportunity to close the gate before any would breach the courtyard, as ordered by the head of the Takagis.

People that were within range to witness that display, were showing Akio praise, giving him warm greetings and light smiles although, he rushed back to his own comrades while keeping the blue lightsaber up and running.

Souichiro and Yuriko Takagi had their own weapons ready, Souichiro with his katana, and although Yuriko appeared to alter her appearance slightly, seeing how she tossed her cloth over to the side and had the side of her red dress ripped so she may be able to wrap a holster to her leg, while having a machine pistol at her disposal, while she handed her daughter another one of her weapons, which Kohta seemed to immediately recognize and shiver in a spastic, excited matter.

"That's a Luger P08 Holland model!"

"Wait! I don't know how to use it!" Saya exclaimed. "Wait, what are you even doing with a gun?"

"Back when I worked on Wall Street, I partook in an executive self defense course." Yuriko answered. "Hirano, you will teach her how to use it now won't you?"

"Yes mo- I mean…YES MA'AM!" Kohta cheered.

An echo of the moaning zombies seemed to run through the air, increasing violently with each passing second. The undead were gathering up on one another, trying to force themselves through the gate.

"It's not going to hold…" Akio murmured.

By the time Akio jumped back down into the courtyard and had Saeko and Saya trailing behind to see the undead finally able to break the gate down and gather up within the courtyard's boundaries, as the men who were attempting to hold the gate were mauled instantly by the craving hoards of the undead, and the candles that were around the courtyard were knocked over and set the surrounding vegetation ablaze.

"Back everyone! BACK!" Akio shouted.

Something strange and remarkable seemed to occur when Akio stood there willingly in the face of the walking dead, split from his fellow peers. Some of the zombies seemed to become rather viscous and charge at him with full speed, at him, and only him, while the slow walkers seemed to advance on the refugees, Takagi estate personnel, and Akio's group.

Screams of refugees filled the air, followed by the sounds of gunfire from Takashi's shotgun and Kohta's sniper. The others who were able to fight in the group, Saeko and Rei, covered each other as Rei used the preferred bayonet attached to her rifle while Saeko had made use of the old Murata sword that Souichiro had granted her to own.

Even if walkers were rather easy to fend off, she only stood and watch Akio scattering around the courtyard trying to keep those unexpected, fast paced zombies away from them, cutting them to bits with his lightsaber one at a time, even if it called for physically demanding action, since the zombies seemed to scatter about trying to lunge in for a bite instead of charging him directly.

Nevertheless, they all fell under Akio's superior form and training as a Jedi. Didn't take long however…more and more kept coming. There may come the time that eventually they would be overwhelmed as Kohta seemed to express his concern regarding ammunition openly, although Saeko and Akio were not one's to give in with their sharp wit.

One advantage in this attack was that Akio seemed to have dealt with all of the charging zombies and only walkers remained. He saved his strength and reunited with his friends and climbed back up towards the mansion, deactivating his lightsaber, for now as Souichiro looked on to the people from the refugee camps and invited them to come along. Those who are men and willing to fight while women and children would follow along.

"They're getting stronger..." Akio murmured.

"DAD! Why don't we barricade ourselves in the mansion?" Saya asked.

"They had already broken through the iron gate! There's no point in protecting the house! If we do, they're going to break in and kill us all!" Souichiro exclaimed.

Without turning to face the direction of where Takashi, Kohta, and Akio were trying to approach him from, Souichiro spoke once more so that they may get the re-clarification for them to go ahead and leave.

"You were intending on helping your parents, weren't you?"

"Yes sir…" Takashi responded.

"As for your new leader…Take care of them. Do what is right. Make sure tomorrow is filled with hope. We may die tonight but at least there are many more who may have a chance to live on. Make it so."

Akio only responded by nodding head and seemed to let out a low sigh from what Souichiro was implying.

"WAIT! Dad! What ar-"

Yuriko grabbed her daughter by the arm, even if Saya was trying to run up to her father, and slapped her with a certain bluntness on her face.

"…Mom…?"

"I know that we may have left you many times during your life…" Yuriko began. "But your father and still I have an urgent duty we must meet. I don't know if you will ever forgive me and this is something that I will never forget. Please…Don't make this harder for me then it already is…"

"…Mom…"

Now Arisu, having Zero by her, walked up to Yuriko and had Akio just within their closest range, behind them with his hands behind his back, slanting his head down. Yuriko crouched down and embraced Arisu for what was possibly going to be the last time she was going to see the young child.

"Listen to your older brothers and sisters. Continue being a good girl from now on, okay?"

"Okay." Arisu nodded.

Yuriko then let go of Arisu and looked up to face Akio.

"I wish you well. Never stop being the person who you sought to be. Take good care, I believe in you. Don't give up. And…" She looked at the rest of the group. "That goes for the rest of you."

Akio seemed to let out a little grin expressing his sincere happiness then turned to face his comrades as Yuriko ordered all of them to vacate immediately, so that she and her husband can make the stand and protect their own followers.

"…Mom…Dad…I LOVE YOU!" Saya cried out.

So, now Akio lead his own friends…Saya, Rei, Takashi, Shizuka, Saeko, Arisu, Zero, Kohta away from the courtyard, with his blue lightsaber in hand as they ran around back towards the garage where the Humvee still resided, hearing the sounds of gunfire and the sounds of dynamite going off, while keeping their distance from any zombie that would dare to come close.

"So HOW exactly are we going to stop this thing?!" Takashi questioned, obliterating one of them with his shotgun.

"It will take some time but we need to get halfway across the city! All the way back to Tokonosu City Hall! That's where they will be!" Akio answered.

"THAT far?!" Kohta exclaimed. "THAT'S INSANE! THAT'S ALMOST GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO FUJIMI?!"

"But it's a risk we have to take Hirano!" Saeko cried.

"Do or do not! There is no try!" Akio quoted.

Everyone heard Saya screech from inside the garage and looked to see a man slide out from underneath the Humvee. He was a mechanic that Saya knew to be named Matsudo. He announced that the car was actually still useable despite the EMP attack.

"The vehicle has triple copper plating!" Matsudo informed them. "Whoever owns this vehicle must be hardcore!"

"So we can use the car after all?" Shizuka cried out with joy.

"It can but I need some time to repair some of the damage." Matsudo responded.

"Well…" Akio sighed looking onto the zombies that were slowly approaching. "We will protect you while you go along with repairs sir."

"Sure!" Matsudo smirked in agreement.

"Okay! Komuro! Hirano! When I give the signal, shoot!" Akio instructed.

"What's the signal?!" Kohta questioned.

Akio unequipped his lightsaber and held out his right palm and pointed it towards the undead. Reaching out with the Force, closing his eyes, he immobilized them and they remained fixated in place.

"FIRE!" Akio shouted.

Takashi and Komuro fired their weapons in unison standing together, and were able to take out the approaching zombies from the center. There were still others however, approaching closely from the left and right, and there were plenty more of them that were far off from the center. Again with the Force, he pointed his palms out and held them in place.

"Rei, take the left, Saeko, the right." Akio ordered.

"With pleasure." Saeko grinned.

Rei used the bayonet attached to her rifle, put the blade through the zombies. Stab, kick off, and repeat, until they were all down. For Saeko it was following form, making absolute precise and graceful swings with her Katana until they were down. As for the remaining zombies that were approaching from the center, that were close in range at last, Takashi and Kohta fired their shots and finished them off.

"OKAY! You're good to go!"

Hearing that call from the mechanic, Matsudo, everyone ran to the vehicle and climbed inside as Shizuka found that the car managed to start without any problems. Akio however climbed on top of the vehicle so that when it comes down to it, he may be able to cover and scout ahead for Shizuka and everyone else inside.

Matsudo had insisted despite Akio's invitation, to stay behind and make his last stand with a wrench, but had wished him, and more specifically, Saya, good luck.

"You Jedi were good people, did I ever tell you that?" Matsudo asked.

"Thank you sir, we won't forget you." Akio responded.

"No, thank you for sticking around!"

Akio nodded, then he prepared to keep himself balanced as the Humvee accelerated forward, all the way through the courtyard, driving out beyond the Iron Gate, out into the neighborhood streets, driving at full speed towards a barrier made up of walls of concrete, which was pierced through by a bus, but was still blocking the path for the Humvee.

"We only have one way to go!" Akio shouted. "Keep driving!"

Akio looked back and jumped off the vehicle, to his friends surprise, then reached out and used the Force to grab the bus and pull it up so his friends may be able to pass through.

"Oh my God...He's actually doing it..." Takashi gasped.

Just having little gap from the Humvee's top and the bottom of the floating bus, they were able to drive on through, but Shizuka immediately pushed the breaks to wait for Akio to climb aboard as the bus was dropped back onto the ground. They heard Akio's lightsaber being swung from the other side, cutting through the moaning undead, then shortly afterwards they saw him jump up on top of the wreckage, then with one more leap, with the Force being channeled through his body, he managed to jump far enough and land on top of the Humvee and climb back inside, letting out a sigh of relief.

Everyone was absolutely speechless...They didn't know what to say...their only Jedi friend seemed to keep impressing them every single moment, and that respect was not phasing out any time soon.

After sometime, the sun was beginning to come up and by then, Shizuka had already led them onto the freeway and Akio had already expressed his interests of heading all the way across the city to confront the masterminds of the entire pandemic, in City Hall, although he still offered to help Rei and Takashi find his parents. The more important courses of action were yet to be taken...


	18. Chapter 18: Shelter

So it appeared to prove that the Humvee would no longer be the group's essential source of protection...The Humvee's integrity would no longer be able to withstand the hordes of a lot of them, charging at once. A great defense was made and they repelled the un-dead assault, which ultimately forced the group to leave the Humvee in ruins on the road, and they continued right behind their...Jedi, marching on aimlessly as they had been truly convinced Akio was their salvation to fix the entire incident that spread across the world. Even if Akio claimed for City Hall to be the last destination to march towards, there had to be alternatives...

A Jedi who had been familiar with the energy of the Force would know that their performance beyond the average man could potentially allow them to travel great distances on foot, in a short amount of time. Patience and care held Akio back from doing such a thing. These were his friends that put their undeniable faith onto him and he wasn't about to break his ideals and whatever was left of any sense of companionship that resided in him, despite his two year self-seclusion.

Now...Before they could take such a giant leap for man, shelter and planning was the most essential goal for the group. Still marching with their heads high up, they had finally found it...

_Taiei Shopping Town._

"Here. We'll settle here for the time being." Akio declared.

"Are you sure it's safe?" Kohta asked.

"...At the moment..." Akio responded.

"You think there's anyone inside?" Takashi wondered.

"We'll find out." Akio responded, signalling everyone with a sway of his arm to follow.

They got closer to the perimeter of the mall and watched Akio's every move very closely. He seemed to be pressing himself up against the wall as if he was trying to eavesdrop in on something.

"Hmm...I sense conflict...Fear..." Akio murmured.

"IS it safe?" Takashi asked, walking up to him.

"There are people inside." Akio answered. "I can't really decipher on who these people are exactly..."

* * *

The mall's interior at first glance seemed to have been completely abandoned, but the group kept themselves on their heels and spread themselves around. One quick sweep through the entirety of the first floor, all the stores were completely vacated, free of live and un-dead people...and supplies...The one thing they could have noted was the large barrier set up at the main entrance of the mall, and nothing had broken through yet.

"Let's just continue to stay together as a group for the time being." Akio said. "We don't know who could be here."

His companions simply gave him a light nod and followed behind their Jedi leader. All they could do is stay quiet and scan their surroundings while holding their weapons tightly, ready and wary enough to fend themselves off once they detect anything that may potentially want to harm them.

"I really have to know what we he is going to do..." Rei whispered to Takashi.

"I thought of it..." Takashi responded with a shrug. "I don't think he's going to tell us what he's planning to do...yet."

"...I just..." Rei sighed. "I just want to see if there's anything we can do to you know...? Help him out. He can't do this thing by himself, he needs us."

"Be patient Miyomoto..." Saeko murmured. "The time will come."

The group suddenly became startled at the sound of Akio igniting his blue lightsaber.

"Someone is close."

Halting for a brief moment, the only light sound to fill the air was the lightsaber's hum. Everyone stood on alert as the silence continued to prolong. As anticipated however, they heard a thud from within a large mattress store. With the lights out of commission, and no other means or sources of light to use, everyone stuck close so that they were within the range of the blue light that shined from the blade of Akio's lightsaber.

"Reveal yourself!" Akio called out in demand. "We do not wish to harm you!"

"Maybe there's no one here." Takashi suggested.

"Not in this store." Akio sighed. "I believe the one's we're looking for are waiting for us."

A light bark was exerted from Zeke. The dog began to pant, gesturing the group to look back to the bed mattress entrance. Everyone, keeping their weapons up, walked slowly back to the exit of the store. Standing there, was a young woman who appeared to have been wearing police attire. She appeared to be absolutely frightened and traumatized. Akio could feel that it wasn't from the fact that she was seeing a lightsaber first hand carried by a high school boy.

"W-W-Who are you?" The police woman stuttered in curiosity.

* * *

The meeting between Jedi Knight and Police Officer was rather awkward and surprising to say the least. She was however, rather generous of understanding who Akio and his companions were.

Her name was Asami Nakaoka, a former officer of traffic patrol...According to what she claimed, she was not the superior leader for the survivors that were with her. Akio could observe and see that her leadership was inefficient, doubtful, and unorganized, but was not unrecognized.

Asami was only in charge until her superior may decide to show up again with more help from the rest of what may remain of the Police Force. Akio knew that with given the circumstances, the power of the law and the order of society was not present. Asami did not have the power, authority, or even intention to apprehend Akio for possessing a lightsaber...Two lightsabers.

With Akio's presence however, things were growing rather unstable and hostile as he proved his connection to the Force with just a demonstration of lifting a table in the air, putting it back down gently afterward.

Just as anyone would have typically believed, the presence of a Jedi was just the signal for more bad things to come. It was simple really. They were afraid and cautious with what Akio may be able to do with the power he has so, that Akio could understand. It may have been best for him to leave them for the time being until they could build up their final judgement.

For now, it seemed that Asami was rather calm around the other group and had made a mental note for herself that she could definitely trust them. In these desperate times, unity and cooperation was of the utmost importance to stay alive. The next step was they needed to ensure they had sustainable resources. Food supplies needed to be checked. Weapons and ammo needed to be checked.

Asami was not aware of the how this pandemic had come to start, like Akio's friends had come to learn and accept. One thing was made clear, they needed all the resources they can gather in order to fend for themselves until they may finally be able to put an end to all of this...

* * *

With the status as to how much resources were at their disposal, food appeared to be scarce, only good for at least a couple of days. Packaged meats and vegetables were scarce as some had already expired or gone bad from the lack of refrigeration. In terms of how weapons and ammunition were, Takashi and Kohta were able to number the amount of bullets they had.

Takashi only had a total of twenty four shells for the Itacha, and Kohta had found for the AR-10 that he had three magazines left over, which was a total of sixty more precise shots he would need to make in the future.

For weapons that may not be seeing use any time soon such as Rei's M1A1 Supermatch and Saya's Luger P08, they didn't need much emphasis on the bullets. Saya was not ready to fire the weapon her mother gave her, perfectly, and Rei wished to continue the bayonet as a spear.

Saeko's katana needed little maintenance. Despite all the foes she has cut through with the double edged metal blade, its durability was still to her satisfactory. Her fellow swordsman carefully analyzing pieces of the two lightsabers. Akio, thankfully, had found there to be no dysfunction or damage sustained, and it shall continue to aid their fight in the future for as long as they can.

By the time things began to settle down, the sun was beginning to set once more, and the sky was being completely covered in dark gray clouds. From those clouds, soon came rain. With the rain, came the unbearable cold. With no other means for heat, both groups led by Akio and Asami huddled in together at the center of the mall, making necessary needs to start a fire quickly.

After they managed to light a fire, it was now opportunity to take rest. Akio, Asami, and another man stood guard, keeping an eye out on the camp while the others took their rest.

It was only a mere couple of hours and it was strange...They were expecting to hear at least one groan from at least one of those zombies out there, or expecting Akio to inform them as he would respond accordingly to his senses through the Force. Nothing but darkness shrouding the mall, outside the range of the fire's luminosity, and the occasional spark of lightning in the sky.

"Kid..." The man whispered, noticing Akio staring blankly into the fire. "Something on your mind?"

"Many things." Akio replied softly, almost in a grumble.


	19. Chapter 19: Breaking the Broken

Still long into the darkness of the night, the rain continuing to pour down, and the rain that constantly bombarded the mall's glass ceiling was visibly hearable. Although it did not affect the ones in their slumber, it was the only thing, along with the occasional crackle of the fire that Akio heard as he waited until morning, keeping his senses sharp, anticipating an attack at any moment.

Keeping his lightsaber clutched to his hand, he was not trembling from the anticipation that was exhilarating in him, but he was trapped in his own thoughts. The occasional crackle from the fire, combined with the rain pounding from above, it was all too quiet for him. No…The Force was not quiet.

Those who were suffering and falling victim to the walking dead was echoed through the Force so that he was able to hear it, whether he liked it or not. He didn't. That is why he would dare to even think about directly confronting his old master.

The man who had no remorse. The man who had sought to exploit others, in hopes of producing a weapon. The man who had manipulated many to do his dirty work. The man who had taught Akio Jin to use the Dark Side of the Force while testing his potential with an experiment, in hopes that Akio may become his own weapon. But, most importantly, above all, this is the man who had manipulated both his son and wife towards insanity.

Minister Shido.

Akio Jin was going to confront this man, put an end to the global infection, or die trying.

He continued to remain fixated at the sight of the fire, then he began to hear what sounded like the constant cycle of a respirator inhaling and exhaling air. The mechanical equivalent to that of someone breathing in and out.

Minister Shido was not alone. He still had an apprentice as his side. He still held the very person Akio Jin loved in his grip and now, as he heard the eerie breath, he heard her voice.

_"Akio…Why…? Why must you ignore me? Don't you remember me? I'm still here. I still have one thing I ask of you."_

"You're dead Mizuki."

_"I know…That sweet, precious, innocent- Heh, heh, heh. That sweet little Jedi…She only changed. FOR THE BETTER."_

"Do you really believe that?"

_"I am the suitable replacement. That makes your precious Mizuki obsolete and insignificant. NOW! I have become more advanced."_

"You threw away what you believed in, just for strength?"

_"And with strength, came dominance. This world is ours but we just need one last thing…YOU Akio. YOU. You're the only one compatible with the most precious thing our master created."_

"That was years ago. I'm not what you are expecting me to be. I am not his apprentice."

_"That is where you are wrong. Your true strength and power lay dormant. Forget those pathetic miscreants you call 'friends' and come back to us. Just you and me, we can be Gods. We can be rulers. And as rulers, we can expand to other places we could only dream about in legends."_

"I will not stand for it."

_"You have no choice Akio. You belong to him just as much as I do. Like you, I am truly valuable and powerful because of his work."_

"I'm no machine. I'm not programmed."

_"You're not exactly free either. Which is why we can change that. If you join me, we can kill him. TOGETHER! Master Shido won't be able to tell us what to do anymore! We have the power! All I ask is for you to know your place. If not, you can die with your little band. And when I kill you, I guarantee the Force will not grant you peace."_

"It won't grant you peace either."

_"I don't need peace. I just need full control. One way or another, I'll get you on my side. I promise you that. If not," _After one last exhale, Mizuki's voice began to fade away into an altered, intimidating, synthesized robotic voice. **_"YOU'LL WATCH YOUR FRIENDS BURN."_**

From that, Akio immediately responded by nearly jumping back from his current seating from the unsettling sound of that manifestation of what was once his friend. Looking back around his own friends, and the other survivors still asleep, he took in a large intake of breath through his nose, and slowly exhaled, making sure that his focused was aligned towards his friends, and the Force.

With that emphasis put on immersing himself into the Force, he stood up on his feet, then looked up towards the overhead glass.

_"We're watching you Akio. I want both you and your friends to know that."_

The anticipation and the high amount of caution was circulating through his body. Akio projected his paranoid and obsessive focus through his lightsaber, in which he activated, causing his friends, along with the neighboring survivors to open their eyes and stand at immediate attention.

"What-"

Akio, completely fixated on his focus, raised a fist in the air and ceased Kohta from beginning to speak.

"Hirano. Follow me. Komuro…?"

"Yes?"

"Watch the camp. Maintain the fire."

"Wha…? O-o-o-okay."

Kohta took hold of his trusted AR-10 Sniper and followed. Takashi took up his Itacha shotgun and immediately manned his post as he stood on guard, with little to no lighting from the fire that still burned.

Meanwhile, the ill-experienced officer, Asami, seemed to focus herself on the sight of Akio leading Kohta away to the upper floors of the mall until they were out of sight. This quality of leadership was reminding her of her own superior officer.

"He's kind of like Officer Matsushima only…with a…uh…"

When Asami heard these words from one survivor she was already familiar with, she only nodded her head lightly as she sighed with thoughts of envy racing in her mind.

"Tamura…He is Matsushima with a lightsaber..." Asami murmured.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No Tamura…you didn't…" Asami sighed.

* * *

Akio lead Kohta up to the mall of the roof. Despite the gray clouds that continued to pour rain down overhead, and the darkness of the night continuing to prolong, with no sign of the signal of dawn as the sun was nowhere to be seen at the moment.

Their only source of light was the blue glow of Akio's lightsaber.

"So…You think something's up here?" Kohta asked, shouting through the pounding of the rain.

"We're being monitored!" Akio responded.

"REALLY?! HOW DO YOU KN-"

Before Kohta could finish, Akio pushed down on Kohta's shoulders and lay on the ground, deactivating his lightsaber, and Kohta lay down beside Akio. Above them, a small light shining down from overhead lit up. Akio already knew what was there, but it took Kohta a couple seconds to see that there was a crab shaped drone levitating over them.

"How can there be machinery working?" Kohta wondered, carefully aiming his AR-10. "Should I…?"

"No." Akio said, grabbing the muzzle of Kohta's gun.

"But it's…It's going inside the mall. What if it-"

"That drone is defenceless. It has no weapons installed." Akio informed him.

"Wait how do you-? Oh…right…That drone must be-"

"It is." Akio confirmed. "That drone belongs to Minister Shido. Mr. Shido's father."

"Then why haven't you destroyed it yet?" Kohta questioned.

"Because." Akio responded, standing up and pulling Kohta to his feet. "Whatever he wants, we have to be aware of it otherwise, he won't hesitate to harm us. He is the last man you would want to see displeased with someone ignoring his terms."

Just as Kohta and Akio went back inside the mall, one shotgun blast echoed from below. They rushed back to their camp to see the muzzle of the Itacha shotgun had some smoke residing from the muzzle. Zero was circling the downed drone, carefully trying to examine it by trying to smell it, while everyone else still inside was gathered around to look down at the machine.

"I JUST SHOT IT!" Takashi exclaimed.

"What the hell?" Saya gasped. "Who's monitoring us?! HOW?!"

"Akio? Do you know who this belongs to?" Saeko sternly asked.

"Minister Shido." Akio answered. "His devices are stable. He is not effected by the EMP blast."

"WHAT'S GOING ON!?" Asami shouted

"So does Shido have the advantage over us?" Rei trembled angrily.

"Jin…Tell me what is happening!" Asami urged.

The device started then began to beep, then its mechanical parts began to morph and a little funnel like rod, resembling a telescope, pointed to the ground. From the end of the rod, came a voice.

_"Jin… Jin. This is your master…Listen to me."_

Everyone began to eye Akio, as they felt rather bewildered and afraid that the voice of Minister Shido was urging him to speak to him.

"…This is Jin over." Akio responded with a groan.

_"AH! GOOD. GOOD. It is so good to hear from you again Akio. Ever since you quit being my apprentice…things haven't been quite the same."_

"Likewise sir." Akio sighed.

_"May I ask _WHY _my most beloved test subject is running about my city…my country, with a group of pests?"_

"They are not pests."

_"Or so you say my apprentice."_

"I thought you already had a replacement. I'm no longer your experiment or apprentice."

_"Ah yes, yes, yes, I know. Your little friend has been nothing but obedient to me. She does not have the will or thought to leave just as you have, even IF I specifically modified you to be nothing but my asset. But alas, you aren't my only apprentice anymore? Or are you?"_

"YOU MONSTER!" Rei shouted.

_"Is that the wretched scream of the daughter of Detective Miyomoto I hear? THIS. IS. PERFECT. I have more of a reason to get back my obedient asset back. In fact, I have someone hear who you love fairly much. Same with you Akio. In fact, I have…well…only one truly worth saving."_

Over the intercom through the microphone, there were screams from two different men. Rei Miyomoto's heart began to sink as she began to feel the weight of the grief and Akio Jin only twitched and clenched his fists.

"Father." Akio murmured.

"…Dad…" Rei whimpered in realization.

_"I haven't done anything cruel or brutal to them. They'll be alive by the time our beloved Akio returns to my side. If not, I'll give them back to you either way…Dead or alive, even alive _while_ dead. Even if my formula isn't exactly perfect without Akio and his own iteration, I'll make it work either way."_

"LET THEM GO!" Rei snapped.

_"Sorry my dear. There's only one way we can end all of this...without complication. But I assume our beloved Akio has already made up his mind so. Unless if he may speak now?"_

Over the intercom, the group heard a sort of beep effect went off from Minister Shido's side, and he began to speak once more, only to what he had referred to as the one who does not have the intention to leave. The sound of that same respirator he had heard minutes earlier. It was her…

_"No? Our beloved Jedi Knight refuses to speak?"_

Akio did nothing. Whenever anyone of his compatriots looked at Akio staring down at the floor, to them it was like staring into the eyes of death, as if it was about to pop in and eradicate them all in a split second, without remorse, without hesitation.

They were absolutely stunned and horrified. Even if he was as still as a human statue, Akio seemed to twitch with his facial muscles.

_"Lord Rin. Take your time with Akio's father."_

_"Yes master."_

The faint, inducing sound of a lightsaber being heard through the device, was followed by the screams of agony from Akio's father.

Akio could do nothing but listen to his father suffer. The thing that pained him the most was the fact that this twisted form of Mizuki Muto, now this…_Lord Rin…_was torturing the very man that treated her like a daughter while Akio was absent from his life.

_"Don't be upset Akio. She's learned to become a stronger individual moving past her mental attachments. I urge you to do the same. Leave your friends, I'll show you what remains with the path that has not closed on you yet."_

At this point, Akio seemed to have had enough of the taunting and the temptation. Everyone witnessed the breaking point of their Jedi companion.

He levitated the device into the air and smashed it into a wall, causing everyone to step completely away from him.

"HOLY SHIT!" Takashi screamed.

Akio's naturally red eyes seemed to begin to glow a dark red as he stood there with his inactive lightsaber in hand, staring down at the already destroyed drone.

"WAIT! SAEKO NO!"

Despite Takashi's warning, Saeko continued to approach Akio. Her heart seemed to race relentlessly and out of extreme caution and concern, tears began to form in her eyes as she made an attempt to put her hand on his shoulder. That was a mistake.

With his left hand, Akio swung his hand backwards, striking Saeko in the gut, flinging her back on the ground, in range of her friends.

"A-Akio…" Saeko weakly gasped.

Akio continuously slashed the device on the ground with his blue lightsaber, even if it was beyond extreme, with bits and pieces of severed and burned machine parts scattered about. In countless minutes, everyone was held their breath to see if Akio would eventually stop or just turn away and come back to them. Watching him unleash his rage gave the others the impression that time was being manipulated with exceeded paralysis.

As they were hoping for, he did stop. Once again like before he collapsed to the ground, which drew his friends in to now safely approach him.

Takashi and Kohta were the one's to pick up Akio carefully and place him right beside Saeko. His lightsaber and bag were placed over right beside him.

Even with Saeko still in a critical shock and pain, she took hold of Akio's hand as Shizuka Marikawa began to coordinate and instruct everyone else for tend to her and Akio.

* * *

**Authors note:**

**Well everyone. Um...Thank you for reading this chapter! And thank you for letting this story now reach a total of over 16000 views! WOW!**

**Really means a lot! **

**Just one question, am I overdoing or does everyone (anyone) think that I'm delivering just the right balance of context? With what I wrote for Akio to have suddenly..."popped" justifiable to you? **


	20. Chapter 20: Remember, Remember

Now that their only Jedi Knight, and their leader was out cold, the group looked to Takashi almost as a second in command. Takashi quickly accepted this sudden role placement, and he, along with his group, and the other survivors, began consoling each other after they had witnessed Akio's brutal meltdown.

For the comrades that have known Akio longer than the survivors, it was easier to understand Akio's emotions and anxiety, but for the other survivors, they had become more dumbfounded than before. Regardless, the ones who more knowledgeable of Akio's struggles beforehand, were more pitiful than the others who had only known him for a day.

As the group had been able to come to believe Akio's story, it was now the time for them to pass along that knowledge and information. Convincing the other survivors, in which Officer Asami Nakaoka deemed her responsibility, would not be a complete breeze through, as they would have soon found out…

* * *

Takashi Komuro.

Rei Miyomoto.

Kohta Hirano.

Arisu Moresato.

Saya Takagi.

Shizuka Marikawa.

They had tried to the best of their ability to persuade them. They informed them of what they had witnessed and what they have heard.

There was no need to tell them the story of "The Purge of '66." They all knew about it.

They briefly described the significant, heart breaking incident, which was Akio's kidnapping at the age of five, which ultimately resulted in the death of his mother, followed by the seven year imprisonment and tests with a Sith Lord, whose goal was to create his own, personal...obedient, undoubtable, invulnerable servant.

They had been able to conform to the idea that it was Minister Shido who had been able to execute that plan accordingly. They also accepted the fact that Minister Shido himself was the one behind the plague that caused the living to become infected and turned into a zombie.

Minister Shido was everyone's enemy. Everyone's lives were in peril. Although, it did not change the fact that out of all of them, Akio Jin was the first to become a victim to Shido's treachery. He lost his closest, trusting Jedi peer, Mizuki Muto. Everyone else seemed to have followed along this path of grief, with their simple lives being taken away, their freedom at risk, stuck in a world of chaos and imbalance.

All they could really want was to bring things back to the way they were, but in order to do that, the survivors led by the novice Police Officer, Asami Nakaoka, would have to come to accept this.

"…So…" Asami shivered. "This is true…?"

"IT IS." Rei exclaimed.

An inseparable couple that had their marriage hold those two together for many years despite their current, frail state, expressed their concern.

"He has to do what he has to do…" The wife wheezed weakly, letting out a cough. "I'm not going to see it…"

"Tell him, we are not afraid to die…" The husband said. "We're not afraid of the enemy. We never were. Kasumi and I are going to perish soon, tell him to…follow the path. I know…"

Their bodies were not as strong as they once were however, as time went on and they got weaker physically, their knowledge and wisdom has significantly increased. For their wits to be as sharp as they are now, they, out of everyone, have lived long enough to know the true intentions and doings of both Jedi and Sith.

However, Kasumi's husband, Sora, was the first to witness it firsthand out of the two. Where he was when he witnessed it, made it one of the most dramatic moments in his life. Like the Jedi however, it would seem that for the survivors Asami was in charge of, they would look at the old couple's opinion as a minority.

"What do you know old man?"

There was still someone who would be willing to listen…Tamura and Asami would stick up for them and they would be willing to find out the truth in doing so.

"HEY!" Asami shouted.

"Were you ever taught respect?!" Tamura growled.

"…Whatever…"

"What is there to respect…?" Sora grumbled.

As he grumbled, he released the top two buttons on his shirt and pulled out what appeared to be an old necklace. Not just any necklace though.

"Is that a…dog tag?" Kohta asked.

"I was a soldier." Sora said. "I fought for the United States right from the beginning all the way through until 1966 in Vietnam. I was a Sergeant and I led a battalion of young men, one of 'em was…one of a kind, just like your leader."

"Sir…?" Kohta spoke up.

"Yes son?"

"Isn't it true after World War II the expectations for participation in war for…Jedi…were over exaggerated?"

"…It's true…" Sora nodded. "There was no need for their participation but I do remember when I was young, news of the Allied Forces struggling in the war came through."

"That's when the Jedi decided they were going to step in?" Saya asked.

"To resolve a conflict." Sora stated. "They did not serve any specific country, they only looked to help those who were needed. Soldiers, civilians, whichever country, it did not matter."

"…Nazis too…?" Takashi questioned.

"Listen, do not think of them as bloodthirsty fascists serving the Third Reich, but remember that most of them, not all, were just men wanting to flow with the tide. Men who were out of options. Men who had families, and would only keep their heads down and their mouths shut for as long as they could until the time may come for them to see them again."

"…Woah…" Takashi gasped.

"That's what the Jedi were there for…" Sora sighed. "They only sought to bring out the light from within a hardened shell. Unfortunately, that's not what the world saw…"

Despite being the youngest of everyone, Arisu felt that she could play a very important part in this discussion at hand. It wasn't her age compared to everyone else that she was intimidated by, but it was just the emotion that she would feel, as saying this will remind her of her dead father, and lost mother.

The dog, Zero, let out a yelp as if sensing the emotion and intention the young girl was processing in her mind. It was the only thing that could feel those things being emulated from her before anyone else.

So Arisu gave it her best shot to speak up and spit out what was on her mind before she could become too engulfed in emotion.

"UH. UH. UH. UH!" Arisu yelped.

Shizuka walked over to her and standing behind her, she put her hands on her shoulders. "Yes Arisu?"

"This is good that a little girl shows such interest in this history." Sora smiled. "It is most urgent that she participates as well."

"MY DADDY." Arisu blurted out.

"Oh wait a minute…" Takashi murmured, rubbing his chin.

"Takashi?" Rei nudged him quietly.

"Remember how her father was a newspaper reporter?" Takashi whispered.

"Yeah." Rei responded.

"He seemed to like Jedi too…"

"…Yeah…?"

Arisu continued to speak, and she was able to pull through with confidence. "He was always writing articles about them, but they were always being thrown away by his bosses."

"…Aww…" Asami frowned.

Sora started to notice that Arisu was acting as if she was holding a large amount of air in her lungs, trying to keep herself rigid, holding back her emotion. "What did your father say about the Jedi?" He asked.

"...Good people…Good people…They only reached out to others. Helped them. Protected them. They gave them hope but...they were killed in return."

At that point, Sora was satisfied with Arisu's vague descriptions of her father's opinions and views of the Jedi. Arisu however, was not able to hold in her tears and turned around to hug Shizuka as she wailed.

"Your father is right. That's EXACTLY what they were!" Sora exclaimed. "You already have your living proof. That boy…He could have left you all and wandered alone without any hope at all. I believe that all of you young people should be proud of yourselves."

"We gave him compassion…" Kohta nodded.

"He gave us hope in return." Saya said. "Speaking of hope…We just got to act."

"Quickly though. It only takes one Jedi Knight to conquer a Sith Lord." Sora emphasized.

"I'm going to go check on them!" Takashi shouted.

Saeko Busujima was still the one who would stay beside Akio and watch over him until he would be able to stand on his feet and open his eyes to continue his march on his mission.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Sora shook his head. "Just remember not to send him out alone."

* * *

_Akio stood among an abyss of an empty void of fog surrounding a dark environment. He looked down at himself to see that his high school uniform was replaced with traditional dark robes that seemed rather equivalent to what a Sith Lord may wear, but it was actually forged in the shape of a Jedi robe._

_"Akio. Turn around."_

_Akio knew the sound of that voice, and he knew it was his grandfather. Hiroki Jin. _

_Even if he would be naturally comfortable to turn around, this time he was restricting himself from doing so. How could the son of Juro Jin face the spirit of a Jedi Master, who was the father of Juro? After recently being informed by his former Sith master himself that he held his father captive, how would he even be able to turn to look at him? _

_"Your friends are relying on you. My son has taught you all you needed to know."_

_"But what I know wasn't enough grandfather…" _Akio sighed. _"I am still vulnerable."_

_"The dark side of the Force may have manipulated you before, but that's up to you."_

_After hearing those words, Akio finally became agitated and brought himself to face him._

_"And what if I can't?! Mizuki couldn't! How can I?!"_

_"The path you walk is a path that only you can walk. You have too much self-doubt within you. Your time being infatuated by her has poisoned you!"_

_"THEN WHY AM I STILL ALIVE GRANDFATHER?! I SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN BORN IF LOVE WASN'T EVEN ALLOWED."_

_Despite Akio's uproar of anger being built up from the frustration he was beginning to feel from his grandfather's words, his grandfather calmly raised his arm and put it over Akio's shoulder and gently tugged him in order for him to walk forward. The empty void of darkness, suddenly began to morph into a moving memory, as if standing from a third person view while the occurrence took place._

_Akio widened his eyes as he saw himself as he saw himself, exiting Fujimi Academy, with Mizuki. It was a soothing feeling for him to look at this image, the cherry blossom trees falling to the ground, Mizuki's hair blowing in the wind, Akio smiling and Mizuki smiling back as they stared at each other. It was still the very thing within his conscience that would taunt him._

_"I will admit, that your ancestors were somewhat foolish and ill-hearted to ban such a beautiful thing. It makes you less human if you cannot love. She and you were able to find a balance while disciplining yourselves."_

_They continued to watch and follow the manifestation of the memory of Akio Jin and Mizuki Muto, together, playing out. Following them all the way from Fujimi Academy, all the way to a hill point in the city, holding each other close, to then share a kiss._

_"Happiness…it's just a picture…" _Akio grumbled.

_"From a certain point of view, yes. Your point of view."_

_"It's not relevant. Things can never go back to the way they were. Shido has her and-"_

_"And you have something that Shido wants. I advise you to use that power, but remember, remember…CONTROL."_


	21. Chapter 21: Red Colored Passion

Saeko waited patiently for her beloved Akio to awaken once again, as she guarded him like an artifact, holding up her katana.

If there was something that she would utterly despise, something that would make her blood boil as hatred would begin to make her heart race, and make her mind perpetuate caution, it was to see Akio…or rather, any of her friends, and herself, in peril and sorrow.

Not that she brushed off everyone's problems and deemed them irrelevant, but there was still a sense of emphasis that needed to be put on the situation at hand, so that everyone's futures can potentially be a future filled with hope and serenity.

Saeko understood the truth, and for her own sake, for her friends, for anyone that survived this worldwide spread of disease, she would gladly haul up her sword in and point it in the direction of the mastermind of the pandemic that ended life as everyone knew before.

There was no guarantee that life was going to return to its original state before the zombie crisis began, but at least she can die with whatever dignity and honor she may have left.

She would gladly point her sword against the corrupt and power driven Minister Shido, while following alongside a Jedi, who could lead everyone to salvation and victory.

Akio is their last breathing essence of hope for the human race, and Saeko would ensure that she doesn't lose him in the fight. She would hope to never see the moment when Akio is sucked back into the hellhole that had deprived Akio of a happy childhood in the past, and the hellhole that had come back to take away the happiness he has been able to develop in his adolescent years…and the hellhole that took away Mizuki Muto.

"Akio…" Saeko whispered, bending down to clutch his hand. "I'm not giving up…I'm not-"

"ARGH!"

The time for Akio to finally arise from his unconsciousness had come, but in doing so, Saeko would find herself pinned down, and the blue blade of a lightsaber spreading across her sight, and the red glow of Akio's eyes panning over the blue light. Saeko could however, breathe a sigh of relief, as the red glow began to die down, and the lightsaber blade decreased in size until it had reverted back to an inactive state, and the lightsaber was no longer projecting the blade.

Akio too, had to sigh as he roll to the side and lay on his back, holding the lightsaber hilt flat on his chest, while keeping himself rigid and composed as he only stared at the ceiling, disappointed and frightened that he almost saw himself, under the influence of the darkness, threaten and kill Saeko.

Laying eyes upon Saeko Busujima, to him, was not a privilege at this time, but Saeko was one to disagree…he didn't even bother to notice Saeko smirk when she placed her katana down on the ground.

Before Akio could even protest, Saeko already had her legs extended on both sides of his torso, and Akio, even though his expression remained unchanged, he kept still as Saeko was leaning her head in closer to him, rubbing his cheek, while gently tempting him to let go of his lightsaber.

"Sa-"

"Sssssssh…" Saeko softly slurred, covering Akio's mouth with one finger.

In defeat, he let go of the lightsaber, and complied, continuing to allow her to proceed with the intimate action that was she was committing. Up close, Akio couldn't deny that Saeko was beautiful up close, but yet the urge to be consumed by lust was shunned by his own conscience and focus.

The summoning of the sun to signal the dawn of the new day was soon about to occur, and he needed to brush off anything that would be considered a distraction…even if naturally, that distraction contained pleasure, which is something rare while on the run from hordes of undead, while trying to fulfill a mission.

What was more compelling? Being empowered by a woman in this…fashion…had a sense of nostalgia, with thoughts tracing back to Mizuki.

The compulsion was both a negative and positive feeling. It was positive in the fact that even if he was empowered, he could feel that sense of security and relaxation. It was negative however, as Akio could feel as if he was breaking the commitment that he and Mizuki shared years previously, and to feel pleasure in this sort of fashion with Saeko Busujima, did not feel earned. On another note, his own mind, despite being under the impression that he was disciplined, began to project Saeko as Mizuki leaning in closer to kiss him.

"NO."

Akio sighed as his own hallucination of Mizuki replacing Saeko popped out of existence, and Saeko was relatively aware enough to respect Akio's wishes, and backed off of him, although it made her frown.

"…I'm sorry…" Saeko sighed, blushing.

As they sat cross-legged together, no words were spoken, and Akio quietly pulled over Saeko's katana beside him, and handed the weapon back to her, so that she can scathe and secure it in the holder. In return, Saeko upheld the lightsaber hilt and gave it back to Akio.

"Control yourself Saeko." Akio scolded.

"I know…" Saeko frowned.

"I can…sense the yearning within you…I understand what you feel…but I apologize, I cannot return your feelings at this time." Akio said.

"But…" Saeko choked, while tears began to formulate in her eyes. "I love you…"

Akio was still able to keep himself composed, seeing Saeko almost break down in tears while hearing those three words together in one sentence.

Those. Three. Words. One sentence. Nostalgia.

"You don't…love me…" Saeko murmured.

"That is not true." Akio retorted, reaching over to wipe the tears off her face with the use of his fingers.

"You love your friend, Mizuki..." Saeko sighed, straightening herself. "You still do, don't you? I did not mean to manipulate you into altering your own loyalties and feelings."

"We are both aware that whoever she was, she has been consumed by the Sith Lord, Darth Rin." Akio stated. "I forgive what have you tried to do, as we have both contributed to what we share. Komuro."

Saeko reacted to Akio noticing Takashi coming forward to them.

"Saeko, is everything okay?" Takashi asked.

"Yes." Saeko nodded.

"Komuro, Saeko and I have to discuss something urgent. I need to patch something before we plan our next move."

"…Okay…" Takashi shrugged.

So with Takashi now out of sight, Akio and Saeko faced eye to eye once more.

"The demons of the past still toil within us both. I want to put them to rest before we move on together." Akio said, eyeing Saeko sharply. "I know that there is something else that you have been meaning to share with me for as long as we have known each other."

"So…you've finally asked me…" Saeko smiled, only to frown shortly afterwards. "I remember what you said back at Takagi's house, when you told me you had no choice but to strike her down…It's something you didn't enjoy committing."

"Yes." Akio nodded.

"…Would you believe me if I told you that I found enjoyment in almost taking someone's life…The life of someone I didn't know, but yet felt threatened by…?"

"Hmm…" Akio groaned, giving his full attention to Saeko.

"It happened four years ago. I was on the street at night, and a man attacked me. I had a practise sword with me, and I was able to fend for myself. When the police came, they understood the situation and gave me a ride home in the patrol car…but when I was defending myself, I felt NO remorse, I DID NOT hesitate! When I had the chance, when he was close enough, I ceased that opportunity."

"Victory was your only goal, and you achieved it through your determination and strength." Akio commented.

"IT WAS YOUR GOAL TOO." Saeko exclaimed. "But I ENJOYED IT. The sight of my foe defeated, the sounds of him crying after I struck him, and the sight of him bleeding! I was thrilled! And yet…" Saeko took the time to calm herself. "I have realized that I'm still the same way. Akio…Even if we're disciplined, as warriors, we take pleasure in empowering someone else's life."

"But as warriors, we require a balance in our intentions." Akio said. "I remember my duel with Mizuki before I took her lightsaber. Before I had managed to impale her, I too felt that rush of pleasure, the instinct of surviving battle, taking over. Shido taught me to embrace my passion in order to gain strength. I still feel it when I feel the need to slash through them with my lightsaber for us to stay alive."

"So we understand each other then?" Saeko questioned.

Akio reached forward and held Saeko's hand. "We do." He said, standing up and pulling Saeko up with him.

"Is it time to go…?" Saeko asked, hugging Akio's arm.


	22. Chapter 22: The Odds

With the sun now in the sky and the harsh rain departed, there was still time…

So that everyone was in agreement, it was time to carefully plan a departure. The only major concern for everyone was travelling all the way across the city, just to confront Minister Shido at City Hall...

Not possible.

With all the un-dead lurking the streets, and with the confirmation that Minister Shido himself had them under surveillance, there was no predicting what other dangers would be stalking them.

Not only that…

"Rei and I still need to find our parents."

"My dad is…"

Both Takashi and Rei seemed to still possess a certain will to find their families. Well…Rei already knew the fate that had met with her father. To save her father was to step closer to death, but to find her mother was another task that seemed to be burdensome as there was no clear indicator of her whereabouts.

It was the same for Takashi…

"Hmm…" Asami groaned, thinking carefully. "What should we do…?"

"Komuro, where do you think your mom and dad were when the outbreak began?" Saya asked.

"When this shit started happening, my dad was still out of town on a business trip, but my mom was working at her job at an elementary school." Takashi explained.

"Which one is that?" Saya asked

"Shintoko Third Elementary School." Takashi answered. "I'm pretty sure it isn't that far."

"…So there's a chance Komuro's mother is still alive but his father is unaccounted for…" Kohta murmured in reflection. "Miyomoto on the other hand-"

"OKAY! I GET IT!" Rei cried out in anger. "OKAY?!"

"Calm down Rei!" Takashi exclaimed, walking over to her.

"SHUT UP TAKASHI!" Rei screamed in his face.

"Miyomoto!" Saya yelled.

"I'm sorry! I can't help it!" Rei sniffled, hugging Takashi's arm. "MY father, the police man who tried to take Shido down ended up in- ARGH!"

So that Rei may be able to be soothingly comforted, Takashi embraced her. There were so many ways that Rei wanted to rip apart Minister Shido from the inside out. There were so many ways she could envision as to what she may do after the fact, Minister Shido was removed from his undeserved seat of power.

All she wanted was for him to get what was coming for him after all these years of remaining in such a high position, from which he was able to earn through his own manipulation.

"I just want this to stop Takashi…I just want things to return to normal…I don't want to deal with this anymore…" Rei sobbed. "First my grade being held back, then Hisashi, my dad, Akio's dad…then…"

Everyone seemed to intake a large amount of breath consecutively. They all wanted this to end…

Takashi only seemed to let out the most softest of sighs when Rei mentioned Hisashi. He could only grumble when Rei mentioned his name, but yet he felt his own heart sink as he could grieve on and remember the first incident of witnessing the world's transformation. To witness both a best friend, yet the most heated competitor for Rei's attention, vanish in a brief period of time from the infection was a tragic wake up slap to be welcomed into this new, brutal world.

"I know…" Takashi whispered.

"Takashi." Rei said, letting go of him. "There's also…"

So that he can offer his own form of wisdom to the conversation, Sora firstly had to comfort his weak, sick wife, Kasumi, before getting the encouragement from her to stand and speak up once more.

"The Jedi's former companion." Sora added. "Leave that to him."

"But what are we supposed to do if…?" Takashi wondered.

"I'm afraid that when the time comes, it will be a battle that he will need to fight alone." Sora explained. "The only chance of redemption that girl has is him. I guarantee that they will need to clash swords before that can happen."

"Mizuki getting pulled into that evil was my fault…"

"So my friend…" Sora smiled, walking up to Akio, who had just entered the room with Saeko. "Are you certain that you will be able to engulf the world with light?"

Akio chose to keep himself from speaking for a little while as he scanned the room with everyone present. These were the people that were relying on him, the Jedi Knight, to go and cure this disease and re-establish world order. With one nod directed at the old soldier holding him up with a question, he replied.

"I also wish to bring enlightenment to myself..."

"That is something you will receive." Sora grinned. "Stay on your current path boy. Complete your mission."

"But there are some matters that concern me." Akio mentioned, looking at Takashi and Rei. "Komuro, we should get ready…I believe it's time for us to head out towards the elementary school. And…" He began to address Asami and her survivors. "Do any of you wish to come with us?"

* * *

The march on the road had continued once again. Together, side by side, they walked against the large wave that would come in the form of the un-dead roaming the streets.

That blue blade that had shined on Akio as he held it to his side while leading the rest of his friends. The one from the mall who took up the courage to stand beside them was Asami. Tamura stayed behind, with some of the others, at the mall so that he may be able to show support and care for the frail couple, Sora and Kasumi.

Even if the united survivors walking the streets with the Jedi leading them were ready to continue their fight for the future, they could only keep in their own thoughts and prayers for the survivors who remained behind at the mall, to stay strong. On the contrary, they were the one's that needed to keep themselves strong, especially being around Akio. They were trusting him with his life, but they remained wary just in case Akio has another outburst and is unable to control his actions, which may inevitably put them all at risk.

* * *

With his wit and pride proudly worn with the grin on his face, the proper attire for political office, and his un-bounding ego that was just as large as his own belly, he walked down the dark halls and the comfort of his own underground refuge, the origin of catastrophe, the origin of global pain and suffering in both the present and past. This is where it had all began, this is what he had poured his money, soul, and life into...this is what he had used to absorb the lives of those he saw fit so that they would be his un-forsaken pawns...

A man like Minister Shido would think that with all the technology...all the resources...all the money...all the energy, the game would be in his own favor, one hundred percent. However, Ichirou was still a man of caution, and of precise observance. He would not rest, he would not breathe a sign of relief. He would only do so until he witnesses the final outcome.

In truth, the status of the battle between him and his rogue experiment, Akio, was a solid ninety nine to one. Even with the underground facility at his disposal, and products of bribery in his own grasp, the only thing that could potentially threaten the existence of his power is one boy, a Jedi Knight, and his lightsaber, along with the extra strength granted from his own ambition and goals. Ichirou accepted that even with all of this intimidation he was giving off, he could still potentially be destroyed.

But to him, that was not going to happen. He needed to make sure that it was known.


	23. Chapter 23: Boundaries of Authority

He breathed in and out, trying to muster all the breath he could intake, just to keep his consciousness while being in the most uncomfortable position. Juro…he had a lot of reflecting to do, and a lot of apologies that he wanted to make in order to correct his own mistakes.

Despite being under siege from his enemy, in the belly of the beast, within the heart of Minister Shido's facility, he still found himself in a state of serenity. Serenity not on a physical level, since his body had endured much torture from the one he once treated as an adopted child and a Jedi pupil, but serenity in his own subconscious. It was…acceptance…and a glimmer of hope…the last spark of relenting fire that refuses to be suffocated.

The acceptance was of the past…

He remembered his wife.

He remembered the joy.

He remembered the sadness.

Oh yes…he remembered…

EVERYTHING.

"JURO!"

Alas, he was still a Jedi prisoner, chained by a Sith, who was walking in to see him still strapped down, scratched with many lightsaber marks. His long-time adversary; the man that had torn apart his family apart twice, and tore apart the world soon after. Juro averted his sight from him, although he acknowledged his presence. That suit, that grin. That was all Juro can see.

That was all there was to see of Ichirou Shido.

"Still wanting to live I see?" Ichirou asked, walking over to the restraint device which Juro was held down by. "I would have guessed you would have decided to let go and slip away because the pain is just too great."

Juro was beginning to slightly agitate his captor. Not agitated enough to the point of wanting to crush him, and keep him alive in order to feel it. As a matter of fact, it seemed to humor him. It still humored him that a Jedi Master, the father of the child that he had snatched for his experiment, was a "guest" in his own facility.

"Very quiet today. Interesting…"

Ichirou started to shift his head left and right while raising one of his eyebrows, as he continued to look at his Jedi captive, taking into account of what Juro was doing. All he was doing was observing him, watching him closely, in any change of facial expression. So far, all Ichirou could feel coming from him was absolutely nothing.

Even the essence of the Force was remaining quiet.

"You would have made some sort of comment by now about how I have dishonored myself and my family. I should be ashamed of myself or," From his change of voice, from calm to threatening, Ichirou jerked his arm forward and a lightsaber hilt slid out from under his sleeve. "I am a just a greedy man who's soul is forever tarnished." A red blade was projected and he pointed it at Juro. "That is what I am. I'll always be that way and you, not anyone, can change that. You on the other hand will never change as well."

Ichirou continued to speak as he slowly began to revolve around Juro. "Your compassion and love continues to keep you chained down, and you don't even need me to keep your body restrained." As he reached to the other side of Juro, he held the blade at the side of his neck. "You never let go of your memories but that is something _I _excel in. My wife was is something I was able to let go of, but you hold a little more memories than your loving wife you cherished. The same went for your own son."

Ichirou stepped in front of Juro, with his back turned to him, his arms on his back, his feet spread slightly apart, and the lightsaber deactivated.

"You weren't alone. Even if you took your son back, and he was able to replicate the same experience of infatuation you had, with that orphan girl you found in the cold winter streets, and trained as a Jedi just to make up for your own losses. Isn't that right Master Jedi?"

Within a few seconds, lightning was drawn from Shido's palm, and the helpless Juro was screaming in pain as the current of the electricity began to flow through all his nerve endings so that the pain can accelerate and spread throughout his body. The bombarding electricity ceased as Shido closed his palm and made an un-readable grin as a wide smile seemed to stretch across the face of the one he had just induced pain with.

"You feel that don't you…? Are you ready to give in and pass on?"

"…My son…" Juro croaked.

"…Hmm…" Ichirou nodded, surprised that his hostage managed to muster the strength to say anything at all. "That's right! He approaches this very instant. I've monitoring his progress and he's surpassed even my expectations. I've been able to crack him open…once. I have no doubt that he can keep on standing but I still have a small test for him before we move onto the grand finale. Now...if you're so inclined to do so, pay attention to the monitor."

Just right in front of Juro, a small, flat screened monitor extended down from the ceiling to project the live image of a giant containment tube. All he could see was a silhouette of a cryogenically, sleep induced subject within the chamber.

"Time for the boy to be reunited with his mother." Ichirou snickered as he left the room.

* * *

The school was within reach. Within the group's new salvation, there's a chance that Takashi's mother still resides within its boundaries, and he can pray that once they get inside, he can see that she is alive and well. So now the anticipated moment to reach the Elementary School had finally arrived.

It surpassed their expectations…And everyone had a different perspective for this.

"The police." Rei smiled.

"Oh yeah…Your mom's definitely got to be in there Komuro!" Kohta exclaimed.

"I really hope so." Takashi responded.

"I am happy Komuro…" Saeko smiled, only to then frown a couple seconds later. "But I believe this is a sign…It's time."

"Aww…Are you serious?!" Kohta groaned. "NO! NO! NO! No. Not after all we've been through together. COME ON GUYS!"

At first, there was slight confusion erupting within the group. Especially with the evil that Akio would soon need to confront, the rest felt as though they were all tied together. They didn't want their friend to disappear, but they were all aware of what must be done, and what they needed to let go.

Their pride and burning will was great, but there can only be one who has the strength to carry them all into a secure future…The only one who will be able to fight the evil head on.

Akio, meanwhile, found his own subconscious wrapped up in the Force. It was a necessary step to face and it was a difficult step to accept.

"…No." Akio boomed, as he bent down to rub the whimpering Zero. "Not yet. We must go inside. There is…"

While wagging its tail, the small dog let out a small yelp. Zero's emotions were made clear and reflecting of everyone else's. They felt thrilled, but yet they felt cautious. There was no hiding Akio's glare toward the Elementary School, and they all felt as if there was something he wasn't telling them.

For better or for worse, they would soon find out as to what Akio is able to detect what they could not.

* * *

Although the advantages of having a Jedi Knight were exponentially high in crude and unforgiving environments such as the city streets, engulfed by the walking dead, this situation was not as sheltering as the group would have anticipated.

Unlike the concrete understanding and respect given within the boundaries of mutual friendships, along with a rare acceptance outside of the boundaries that have taken many forms on the journey they have walked, it would appear that Akio's possession of the lightsabers would alarm the head officers who were in charge of maintaining the site, the school.

Shintoko Third Elementary School…the place that the scattered, remaining forces of the police, deemed the most secure for the evacuation site of Tokonosu City.

In order to keep the site secure, the leaders who made the preparations possible would follow orthodox protocol, along with their own personal grudges, to maintain order and prevent any spread of panic. The panic that already existed with the fear of the un-dead, was as high as the bar levels would be raised for the people sheltering within the site, and the police officers in charge deemed it necessary to remove the sight of lightsabers or any signs of live Jedi.

Under their authority, the voice within Akio's group was shunned from existence, and both the weapons that they all possessed, and their Jedi leader, were confiscated before the refugees taking shelter within the school walls would see them.

The truth regarding the origin and the solution of the zombie pandemic, the truth regarding Japan's Minister, was silenced and ignored. The officers would not even dare to listen to a group of high school students, a young girl, a nurse, and a novice police officer. All they could focus on, was the narrow objective of preserving the evacuation site.

Surely it is an honest, and most necessary pursuit, but they failed to see the larger picture, which continues to make them remain ignorant from the truth before it could present itself.

The man in charge was a man who Rei was familiar with. An associate of her father, Tadashi Miyomoto.

Kenji Hisoka.

Like Rei's father, Kenji was a high ranking detective within the police force. The man was an opportunist for the majority. Unlike Rei's compassionate father, Kenji is the man who would only manage situations to match the satisfaction of his own authority.

Far from tyrant and yet as striking as an emperor, he will do what must be done to maintain order and extinguish any potential threat. That did not mean the steps he had to take were approved or respected by others.

For the group led by the young Jedi Knight, Akio Jin, they were beginning to experience the grip of the detective's authority. In his eyes, he is the law.

* * *

Face to face, Jedi Knight to Police Officer, Akio Jin and Kenji Hisoka sat in chairs, spilt apart by a small table placed in front of them, which had Akio's personal belonging placed in view of an overhead oil lamp, casting out the darkness in its illuminating flame. Akio's welcome was far from hospitable or embracing.

While Akio's whole body was chained down on the chair he sat on, Kenji was able to have a comfortable seat on his chair, as it was his own personal quarters, his tent.

When Kenji looked at Akio and saw the possession of the weapons linked towards the dead Jedi order, he only saw someone he deemed despicable. He did not see a young man, a seventeen year old high school student who possessed the power and desire to make things right. Instead, he could only spit at him and call him a rat.

A traitorous, dangerous, and insignificant rat.

"I do not have time for games." Kenji growled. "Tell me where you have retrieved these weapons. If you tell me one more time that you and another crafted them under the guidance of your family and your 'Force', then I will personally dispose of you."

The boldness in the detective's voice was not enough to phase Akio. Even in this confinement and under the man's custody, he continued to remain vigilant of who he was, as that was the only thing he can tell even if it was displeasing for his captor.

"The Force is-"

Akio's words were not amusing or pleasing the detective. To express his anger, and maybe perhaps try to force Akio to learn his place, he slammed his palm against the desk's surface in an attempt to break Akio's well preserved composure.

"Are my friends being treated with the same humble treatment?"

"WATCH WHAT YOU SAY BOY." Kenji boomed. "You would not begin to understand the responsibility for these dying people. I will not allow a self indulged extremist and liar such as yourself threaten my security. I have done your subordinates a favor."

"You are only perpetuating our torture. I can end this...I CAN END THIS ALL."

The hilt of Akio's lightsaber was swung across his face like a club, which upon impact, blood spurted out of Akio's mouth. Kenji was growing impatient of the persistent Jedi teenager he had restrained and would not even take into account of the plot that has destroyed human civilization.

To Kenji, it was a mere fiction to spread panic across his secure evacuation site.

How ironic...

Very ironic indeed.


	24. Chapter 24: Nothing

They did not like him.

They did not like him at all.

It was unjust, but they felt as if their voices have been clipped. They have been disarmed and one of their friends have been taken away from them. Their own rights were out the window and all they could do was keep their heads down and their mouths shut until they could find the right opportunity to find their leader.

For now…they were going to do what they came to do. Search for Takashi's mother.

Divided, the group spread themselves apart so they may receive a better sweep of the area. The "adults" however, were seen as valuable assets.

Shizuka Marikawa was requested to be transferred over to medical tents to assist in tending patients after she made the proposal to do so, and proved her legitimacy with whatever skill she managed to preserve as an aspiring doctor.

Asami Nakaoka was welcomed by fellow officers. She really did not have much experience and strength when it came to protecting civilians. In fact…she still held onto the appraisal she felt for someone like Akio had come to her aid in the mall after her superior had never been seen again. All she really needed was an expansion of firearm's training, and self-confidence, the training that was never initiated when she was under the supervision of Officer Matsushima.

So now it was down for Rei, Takashi, Saeko, Kohta, Saya, and Arisu, with Zero, to search the area.

The west camps would be searched by Takashi and Rei.

The east was handled by Saya, Kohta, and Arisu.

Saeko wanted to go alone…There was no persuasion or any request for assistance. She would search inside the school itself on her own. The others tried not to worry too much about it but they all felt the same concerns and the same anger. They needed Akio, and there was an injustice being served by that detective.

Nevertheless, they needed to persevere and carry on with their search. And this search was far from different from each other. All three groups would witness the same thing.

The refuge intended for these people were far from empty. They were able to count dozens upon dozens of people. Many of them were struggling to even hold onto their life as they were being heavily reliant on the officers that were shielding them from harm.

Many had clothes were just uncomfortable to wear, and there were only a small handful who were wearing clothes free of blood stains.

All anyone had time for anymore was to sit and wait for the distribution of food supplies. They looked just about ready to give up.

Out of hope, and the absence of will, separated from their beloved family members that they once cared for so dearly, but now are either dead, or completely transformed and unrecognizable. The markings of the pain and grief that all these people have experienced are everlasting. Perhaps out of all of them, Takashi's mother would be able to find the light once more…if she was still alive and wasn't consumed by chaos. All it would take was for the face of her son to give her strength.

But so much strength could be exerted from one's self. No one would have been able to prepare for the increasing peril that lied ahead.

* * *

_"…Wake up…"_

Was he dreaming…? Was Akio- No it couldn't have been?

_"Wake up…son…"_

How could this be? That was a voice he had not heard in years. It felt like an entire lifetime in his seventeen years ever since that voice was perceived.

What had happened? How did he get here?

The one place he had been pursuing, and the one place he wished to infiltrate this entire time was now where he was, but not under his own desire of position or circumstance.

It was no different than his past experiences.

He made it to the facility, the den of the opposing forces of a Sith, but now…

Once again he was belittled of his freedom, and he was once again strapped down in restraints, only this time, he was tied to an entire body restraint as opposed to a chair. Right in front of him was a distorted figure of the one he had lost long ago…the one who fell victim and failed to protect him from exposure to darkness and…the one and true love of his father.

"My little Akio…finally grown up…"

That woman…still alive and moving, disturbed of any peace she had in her grave, was the taunting of the past and another invitation to a grief-filled revelation in this dimly-lit room. When he saw the face of his mother for the first time in years, his vision turned red and his head buzzed mercilessly as he began to tremble, shaking the restraints violently. The past had once again, began to dominate his mind, replaying the blankness of his mother's murder.

But that had occurred when he was the age of five, and now at the age of seventeen, his mother was not the same. She may have appeared to be the woman she once was, but she was not. The qualities such as her face, hazel colored eyes, and long, crisp dark hair, would come together to make the woman that was as elegant and loveable as a cherry blossom blowing in the wind.

It was all gone now…

Now she looked as captivating as a zombie, and if not more abominable…

Akio would confirm that she was a zombie. And that zombie was trying to speak with his mother's voice and give him the false impression of mother to son comfort.

When…it…tried to reach out and stroke his face with its fingers, he only squinted and turned his head away. That wasn't his mother, but a mere corrupt picture trying to tempt him into the darkness.

"Shh…everything is going to be okay…I promise...this time will be better."

"…At one point…" Akio sighed. "But you can't protect me anymore. I-"

"I knew that you grow up…I knew you would outgrow the need for me, but now I need you to listen to your mother."

Akio saw what was in its hands…

His lightsaber.

Even with whatever fragments of what had remained of his mother's soul, there was nothing more recognizable and significant for it…holding a fabrication of what had come of Akio's continuous pursuit of studying the buried traditions of the Force, and Jedi.

Nothing, even in her demented state, could deny her the honor and the privilege of witnessing her own son's legacy being constructed.

"…You…"

Within a few moments, the tip of the blade of his own saber was held against him. He refused to submit to the fear, even with the sight of his own weapon drawn against him.

"You killed them."

"I saved you from that disgusting police man. No one treats my son like that!"

"And yet you hold your own son prisoner under the orders of your murder!"

"You're not a prisoner, this is your salvation. Why are you refusing to let it embrace you? Why do you need to keep struggling?"

"…My mother…my mother taught me to pursue the better future free of conflict. But my mother is dead. She is no longer here."

…The blue lightsaber was pointed away from him...The weapon was deactivated and the room was embraced with complete silence. This…twisted manifestation of his mother felt infuriated, and turned itself in the opposite direction.

"What a shame…just like his FATHER!"

With a swift turn back to Akio, it held out a palm and electricity began to surge from the fingertips as the eyes lit up red. He could only hold his breath, and endure the burning sensation of electricity until it stopped.

"Do you feel better?"

"…"

"If it makes you feel better…your friends are alive, but we'll see how long that will last."

It left only to continue to prolong his torture. To replace it, was another monstrosity…a mechanical distortion of someone he truly felt love for. And he could confirm it as she revealed herself by removing her helmet, and speaking in that...tender voice, filled with innocence, that only seemed to hurdle more memories at him at once with a merciless aftermath of sharp pain that daggered at his mind.

"Hello Akio."

* * *

No one ever saw it coming. Whatever last bit of shelter that was offered to these dying people, was all of a sudden, ripped apart in a flash.

Shintoko Third Elementary School was now in ruin. Bodies of once-fulfilling officers lay decaying, with the deep, inflicted wounds. All who remained was Kenji Hisoka and Asami Nakaoka.

There was an uprising of accusation. They confirmed that a lightsaber incinerated the skin of all officers upon contact. What they were misguided by, was the one who was responsible for the murders. All they could recognize was police authority…whatever remained of it. Two officers, and two build ups of experience level, both were now on one spectrum, as opposed to before.

The most controversial topic at hand…The Jedi and the truth.

It was not too long ago that the detective was beginning to alter his original contempt point of view for not only Jedi, but also the young high schoolers wielding weapons that may appear to be beyond their experience and age. This time, age did not correlate with experience. Even if it did, all opposing views needed to be cast ahead to address the issue.

…Their friend was gone…

…His officers were murdered…

…Someone was responsible…

A quiet, inaggressive debate was all that Kenji needed in order to reconcile with the perpetuating situation. He tried again to listen to the pleas that were the echoes of a Jedi, and the voices of the young. To be more convincing, to be more exemplary, there's really only a need to take a glimpse into the unresolved past, just with slight superstition, and extreme caution, inside the school.

"Miyomoto. I know your father, and you know me."

Other than the young Asami Nakaoka, Rei Miyomoto was the one the detective needed to speak to for the clarification and understanding. Everyone else was…left with the horrid sight of those broken people so out of will, that they couldn't even possess the will to shed any tears. It seemed like that this was it...

"I can trust you Miyomoto, but can you trust me?"

"…"

"I however, did not trust your Jedi, and I did not trust your group's possession of military standard weapons. And I cannot afford to launch any risky missions. You saw what it did to my men."

"…Yes sir…"

"However, based on what you and your friends have been trying to convince me of, I believe that this also makes your father's case with the Minister relevant at this time. I once told him to give it up, but he never listened to me. And yet…here we are…your father is in trouble. Your Jedi is in trouble. Now Shido has a price to pay. Bring your friends. I will make sure you do not travel un-armed."

He was ready to leave the school office they were in, and although Kenji could see Rei standing completely in place, timid to even take another step forward, but yet there was an expression of relief and surprise in the wide grin that was forming on her face.

"Come on…"


	25. Chapter 25: The Everlasting Ashes

There was little time to waste. This is a do or die gamble that they had to face. With his permission, their weapons were all handed back to each and every single of them. Kenji Hisoka, the very remnant of Police superiority, armed up and gathered whatever little resources, experience, and effectiveness that remained of his ruined sanctuary.

There was still plenty of things to scavenge and use…

Takashi's Itacha M37 Shotgun.

Kohta's AR-10 Sniper Rifle.

Saeko's Murata blade.

Saya's Luger PO8 pistol.

Rei's Springfield M1A1 Supermatch.

And with some weapons that were not shattered into pieces, or parts conflicting with one another, Asami Nakaoka was entrusted with her own weapon, the Smith and Wesson M37 revolver, with the proper needs for ammunition and comfortable carriage to accompany her. Meanwhile, her superior officer chose to wield a more practical handgun, the M92F, but he wouldn't follow them...This was his camp, these were his people.

There was a certain degree of courage and rage that lingered in the air for this mission to commence, but they still felt somewhat intimidated with the absence of one to wield a lightsaber. There was a limit of ammunition, resources, and time and so the pressure continued to ensue on them.

The one's who aren't able to fend for themselves effectively, Shizuka, Arisu, and Zero, would stay behind at the camp, promising to take care of the rest of the surviving living people, with the support of the last commanding officer…

* * *

An external compression of the Force on Akio's mind, derived from another being, hurt…His own spirit seemed to have been shattered. He has been avoiding the past for so long, that when the time came for him to confront it face to face, the impact would be most detrimental.

Whoever she was now, it was not what she was before at one point. She may have been an innocent, good hearted Jedi who wanted nothing more than to use her powers to help others, but now, with that dream broken, she stands in front of the restrained Akio, holding her hand out, trying to scan the mind of her former companion that she too had loved just as he loved her.

"Oh…Heh, heh…"

It was the Sith's pleasure to indulge and suck up the pain of her prisoner. No subconscious of two egos in one body would conflict with one another as one had been completely obliterated. Darth Rin was in complete control, and Mizuki Muto was erased, as if she never existed. Whoever she was now, she had Akio on his heels, and she was able to break through that thick mental barrier that he possessed.

That barrier is what kept him at bay for two years, and throughout his whole journey, that is until it slowly began to decay along with the rest of the world as it fell under the shadow of the evil that resided within this pandemic. Akio was really beginning to feel the unbalanced shift between the light and the dark, as it would seem that the darkness was seeping into the light as she looked through his conscience to see what he had experienced in the time they have been apart.

To see Akio whimper as she scaled through the playbacks of his memories was her own pleasure. He looked so broken, with that trembling mouth and cheek, the spastic blinking, and the uncontrollable whimpering.

She completely rationalized it. The circling back to the darkness had not been complete yet and her eyes, the light had made him weak and prone to the pain that he was feeling as both shared his own remembrance.

The first memory was a memory that she even shared, an event that was kept at the back of her own subconscious, same with Akio…Their last encounter…that lightsaber duel that lead to the failure of Mizuki's extraction. That event that led to her confinement to the suit and mask.

"That summer…" Rin recalled.

_"Mizuki! IT'S ME! Come on! Let's get out of here!"_

She remembered the futility and the pointlessness of those words. That plea only ran through empty ears as the person he was trying to call to, was destroyed.

_"Why would I leave?" _

_"Come on! I'm here to take you home! Please!"_

If there was one thing that the Sith Lord could remember in her previous life, is that it was her that originally brought Akio to his rightful home.

Those same words traveled across two of the different, yet similar situations, where one trapped in the influence of the Dark Side could be redeemed and pulled into their righteous salvation, free of enslavement and exploitation, and opportunity, freedom of choice and some guidance, flourished.

Darth Rin grinned. She possessed the knowledge of the outcome of that situation, but yet snarled and growled, continuing to watch as her own self stood on her feet, finally facing Akio.

_"I have a message from your-NO...Rather...My master..."_

_"HE'S NOT MY MASTER! HE NEVER WAS! I'm not a Sith!"_

_"He said he needs you. He needs YOU!"_

_"Never..."_

_"So be it..."_

This is what Rin had been waiting for all this time. Akio's past refusals have finally led to this moment. She has been waiting for a long time, to perhaps have another chance to clash lightsabers. She remembered that moment where she originally felt the ever so exhilarating power coursing through her body for the first time.

She remembered her old green Jedi blade and Akio's blue blade collided as she tried her best to subdue, if not, defeat and kill him. It seemed that back then, she had the upper-hand. She was very close to defeating Akio, as she had him completely underwhelmed both mentally and physically. His mental commands were manipulated to her own aid so that his defenses and strengths would lower.

However…

_"If you won't stay with me, that I WILL KILL YOU."_

_"This was the very thing you wanted to save me from! YOU saved me."_

_"I lied to myself...I didn't save you...I just held you down...The Dark Side gives me strength, something your father couldn't give me!"_

_"This isn't you Mizuki. Snap out of it!"_

_"You come to your senses and come with ME instead. Master has promised me so much! He said we're going to create a new world, and we'll be gods at the coming dawn!"_

_"Shido is crazy Mizuki! You know how much he wants to control this world!"_

_"...Maybe...But I'm following him...I'm going to see this pathetic world be transformed into something marvelous..."_

_"It's going to be chaos!"_

_"I've had enough talking...If you wish to stay as a Jedi, then DIE a Jedi!"_

For Rin, it seemed like when looking at that memory, seeing her self-fulfilling cries of the narcissistic view that made her convinced she was going to defeat Akio, she only cringed at what had occurred afterwards, when her own self-praising words suddenly fell short.

Before the memory would disperse, this final sequence of the memory, something that still infuriated her to this day, was Akio restraining her against a wall with the Force. The lightsaber that she wielded was on the ground and Akio was ready to end the fight. That's not what made her angry…

_"I'm sorry Mizuki." _

_"AKIO! DON'T PLEASE!"_

That plea of mercy was Mizuki's personality and ego that leaked into the new born Darth Rin for the very last time when the blue blade was impaled into her, allowing for Akio to have confirmed her death.

It was a sign of weakness, and the incomplete conditioning of her embracement to the Sith way. At the same time however, according to the next memory, Akio's Jedi inherence was not complete and whole either.

Rin's new beginning of the ascendance to the Sith, was Akio's temporary refinement of his allegiance to the oath he swore when he declared himself a Jedi. It was something that his own father made him do, so that they can continue to live safely after having to bear witness the death of another one of their own.

That memory…Master to Apprentice, Father to Son, in the son's bedroom, both looking on the top of a cabinet which held both his and her lightsaber, that was next near a window, that shun the dark night sky's illuminating moonlight.

Both tried to support each other and trying to relieve themselves of their own grief, even if one was frailer than the other. Rin was able to deduct that this memory to occur after the failed rescue mission. All that was left of her original self was just a weapon, right next to his own weapon, which seemed like the remnants of his own former aspiration and spirit at the time.

His own father only looked straight into Akio's eyes and spoke, trying his best to restrain his own grief, as well as support his son to keep his composure as well.

_"My son…It's too late. There's nothing we can do for her now."_

That night required no disciplinary action or punishment to be set forward. It was Akio's own accord, his own approval, his own arrogance that drove him to pursue the rescue alone. So his ambitions for being worthy of following in his father's footsteps were smashed.

_"Disassemble your lightsaber. I'm sorry…It's over."_

"And yet…here you are now…Mmm…What about your second year?" Rin wondered as she seemed to observe another picture coming into view. "This is…? No…this is…?"

Faster than she could gasp, she seemed to have found herself away from the room in which she was trying to tear deep into Akio's mind. It seems that the restraints that was holding him, and the dark surroundings were replaced. It was cold in that restraint room, but this…was colder.

Where she stood, there was light. There were rocky crevices that seemed to reflect and illuminate from the colors of green and white. Looking down below, the water seemed to be shallow, and there were occasional drips of water from the crevice walls, splashing upon the water's surface.

Even through her disciplining and conditioning in the ways of the Dark Side of the Force, she had no proper insight to determine if that was a product of imagination, manifested through the sorcery her master implanted in her, or if this was of her own, or why this would still manage to occur.

Regardless, she would not give into her own uproars and alarms. She was absolutely most confident that she would wear through whatever seemed to await her.

_"Are you proud of yourself?" _

She felt it…The itching and twitching in her arms…It was her instincts screaming from within to reach for her lightsaber at her side and cast away whatever interfered with her interrogation session, with the red blade. The surroundings began to change, and water seemed begin gushing out from above in thin amounts and ran down the side of the rock.

_"This is what you really wanted?"_

From the water, a sort of entity began to form and approach the Sith that stood at the center of the crevice. Dressed in a white cloak and robes, minus the footwear, the enlightening figure that stood before her approached slowly. The capsulated cave seemed to slowly increase the intensity of the flow of water.

"HOW DARE YOU." Rin spat.

_"How dare I?"_

"I was going to crack him completely! And you got in the way! You're supposed to be dead!"

_"Are you sure?" _

As the figure revealed its true identity to Darth Rin, her temptation to reach for her weapon finally took over, and pointed her red blade at the image of her former self. Her long, brown hair, those sparkling blue eyes, and that light, soft skin…

This was the Jedi, the Mizuki Muto that she once was.

_"You never forget about me. No matter what you do, no matter what you tear apart, no MATTER how strong you think you are…"_

It vanished, the body collapsing as it popped and degraded back into water.

Rin stood fixated, stunned by the manifestation and picture that she was currently encountering, even so far into her transformation and conversion, this pull towards the light should have been impossible, as she convinced herself to think.

"_I will always come back."_

When Rin seemed to jump from the whisper, and she discovered the being was so close in proximity, she seemed to pivot her weapon at her enemy's neck, while it seemed that it was acting out surrender.

_"So…I know you don't want me anymore…"_

For a moment, Rin pulled her lightsaber away when she saw her suddenly on her knees, fists clutched on her legs, and head bent down. It seemed that whatever light was left within Darth Rin, it was willingly prepared to be snuffed out for the rest of her own life.

Rin watched as she spoke in a pleading whisper, ready to slice through her with her lightsaber.

_"But please…listen to me. You are very powerful and you have the power to manipulate the world as you please, but he has cut your time short encasing you in that suit. By the Force, make peace with yourself…with me…"_

"You're right…" Rin let out a sigh. "But peace is impossible to obtain. It's too late for me. I can however, grant you yours."

One swift of her lightsaber, and the manifestation began to disintegrate, but not cut in half. The Mizuki in front of Rin had her brown hair suddenly wither away as it darkened, and her skin began to turn gray and also began to wither away as it cracked.

"This world belongs to me!" Rin shouted as the being completely popped.

The environment began to undergo a drastic metamorphosis, with the flow of water suddenly spewing out polluted liquid, the rocky green and white walls oozing and flowing red.

"What is this?!"

The process seemed to continue, and the crevice was continued to be consumed with these changed. Soon, Rin realized that she was immobilized. She looked down the dark, oily liquid at her feet, to only discover that it had hardened and became most sturdy.

A lightsaber proved itself useless, and the overflowing of darkness continued. It continued to flood the room, and continued to rise…and rise…and rise, until finally, the red rocky walls were barely visible anymore, and Rin's entire upper body was encased in the hardened oil.

There was no escape, and the light at the top of the cave vanished as her head was finally covered.

* * *

He never felt so broken…being in those restraints, being tormented and cruelly treated by those he had cared for, this was a heart-aching experience that wanted to make Akio, lay down his head, and let his soul slowly depart his body. This mission to pursue, even with all the support and encouragement, felt like a lost cause in the end.

He was now truly convinced that this was the end of his journey. There would be no redemption for the world, and Akio was feeling the pull back to the darkness in which he had left and disciplined.

He felt that there was no way he could force his way out of this situation with some Force abilities and a lightsaber, and he has already been beaten down into a pulp. The once Mizuki Muto, now Darth Rin, tearing through his conscience, his restless mother, and now…now there was the sensation that he was out of that restraint bench, and being dragged across rough terrain, which seemed to drag on a relentless pain as he could feel his skin being peeled and scratched.

Opening his eyes and lifting his head, he saw that he was at the basis of an active volcanic mountain, with many active volcanoes erupting in the distance.

Someone was dragging him on the rocky terrain…someone was bringing him there…he couldn't even ask if this was yet another vision, or a reality. When the dragging ceased, Akio wheezed out, trying to muster all the strength to even breathe and lift his head for long periods of time before planting his face back into the dirt to deal with the pain.

_"That's it…stay down…" _

The hand that soon touched him sent a cold chill throughout Akio despite the intensity of the warmth around him. It's as if though he was ice, struggling to maintain its shape and structure under opposite and pressuring conditions.

_"There is no need to look at me, you already know who I am…You already know who you are…"_

"I…I…I…I do…" Akio croaked. "But I am unable to see you…"

_"There is no need to see me…Just look at this scenery. It's very dynamic, it's very explosive…and conflicting, just like us right Akio?"_

"My…former…" Akio continued to weakly speak. "…Darth…Yuudai…I…"

_"I do not know how much farther and how much more complicated you want to make things but as you yourself know, you have the power to change the world."_

Akio still failed to stare at the sight of his alter Sith self, but he soon saw those charred hands, holding a lightsaber. Squinting, he was able to recognize a black-painted version of the lightsaber he possessed and built as a Jedi Knight.

_"I am what you could have been…I am your unlimited strength, your very essence. Take the weapon…It is not too late to meet your obligations to the man who gave us this strength."_

Akio could continue to feel the combustion of the distant volcanic mountains, as if the entire environment was pressuring him to take hold of the weapon and embrace his "true" destiny, and put himself in the correct, uncomplicated path for his own benefit.

He just couldn't…

It was not for the fact that he was so drained of strength to even do the basic and easiest of things, but he still felt that his journey and mental battle he has been fighting for so long was now finally going to end in the worst possible way that he loathed for so long. Akio felt as if dying was better.

Akio just kept his palm and head down.

_"I see…"_

In a single blink, a distant volcano that was active seemed to have teleported away from its original position. The active volcano erupted and the burning ash and lava was about to consume Akio.

Instead of instantaneous death, or an agonizing sensation of burning, he met with the pouring of rain. His eyes soon met with a horrid sight…It was Fujimi Academy's hallways…The reek of death, bodies lining up against the walls, blood splattered and scattered everywhere, and the flies buzzing so rapidly that the eardrums were almost becoming irritated.

Akio crawled…So many dead students, and yet the reeking smell of decomposing bodies was absent from his nostrils. Despite his pain, he felt no nausea, no queasiness, but only felt heart sickened as this sudden, intense smell only began to register with his nostrils as he saw a familiar object. A shotgun…It made him recall the enthusiasm of Kohta Hirano…What he said…

_"THAT'S AN ITHACHA M37 RIOT SHOTGUN!" _

And it only took a few moments to crawl up to the corpse of Takashi Komuro, asleep and mutilated, dead right beside Rei Miyomoto…and there was the broken M1A1…

The crawl up the hall followed a pattern. The weapons or objects that seemed to have been associated with his friends appeared right next to them…

Saya…her Luger P08…

Shizuka…her medpack…

Even the young Arisu and her companion Zero…There was no limit to the slaughter…It consumed and destroyed everyone…There was one more person.

"S-" Akio attempted to scream out as he struggled. "Saeko…SAE-KO."

There she was as well…Her katana through her stomach, and her corpse leaned back on her knees, the dripping blood still fresh.

_"This is what happens you do not fulfill your obligations."_

* * *

"Don't move…!"

"A-a-are you Self Defense Force…?"

"ARGH!"

"YOU'RE UNDER ARREST."

"NO! NO! NO! MY FATHER IS TO BLAME! MY FATHER IS TO BLAME!"

"You're still a criminal…Shido…Koichi…"

"I CAN HELP!"


	26. Chapter 26: A Breakthrough

They didn't know what to feel. It was easy for them to be drenched in fear, to shield themselves from the relentless horrors that continued to ensue, but through their sweat, they rubbed off the fear and continued to stand stronger than any structure.

Their weapons were up, as long as would keep their motivation to look up as well, keep pushing forward. If anything, they were chugging themselves into danger so un-predictable that death seemed imminent. If death was to be met upon them, then death they shall receive, and they would be doing so, acting upon the motivation to correct things.

_There is no try. _

The spirit that burnt within would give them all the strength to face fear and intimidation itself and do so preserving their integrity and honor, no matter what the outcome may inevitably be.

* * *

As the group continuously repelled the occasional zombie that would intersect with their paths on the tight and narrow street, with housing spread aimlessly they began to see the change in weather as the day began to slowly switch to the evening. With the dark, tense looking clouds in the sky, and the rumblings that echoed, they were immediately made aware that a storm was approaching.

It almost seemed a little too convenient for their inconvenience to match their own feelings and thoughts with the weather. Where they were going it was dark. Darker than anything they would have faced before. Leadership amongst themselves seemed to be split. Ideally, they would have put the only, now more motivated young cop in charge, but there needed to be a more contributing, democratic co-operation.

They were fully capable without a single leader instructing their every move. Not that it was unwelcome…the circumstances only demanded it and it was their own right to practise self-sufficiency and independence if they wanted to see their friend again, no matter what.

"Are we almost there…?" Kohta huffed.

"ARRRRRRRRRGH!" Saya groaned, just about ready to rip her hair out.

"Calm down! Please!" Asami pleaded.

"…"

"We've been walking for hours…" Takashi admitted, letting out a sigh looking at Rei. "But we have to do this…" Then he glanced towards Saeko.

"Takashi…?" Rei murmured, trying to get his attention again.

"She…" He sighed. "She hasn't even said a word since we left…And uh…I should've stayed behind…I don't know-"

"Your mom is going to be fine." Rei assured, taking hold of Takashi's hand.

Takashi, nodding with a _thank you _gesture_, _slowly breathed in and out.

"And your dad is going to be fine to." Takashi grinned.

She nodded…their hands split up from each other and they continued…

Takashi and the others continued to remain alert of any sort of opposition that could either threaten or aid them. Right now, he seemed to be fixated on the fact that it was going to start pouring soon. He wasn't as afraid of a rainstorm compared to those walking corpses and yet-to-be-revealed enemies.

"I think it's best if we find shelter." Asami timidly suggested. "I-I-It's going to get really bad…"

"Yeah…" Takashi slurred.

"Yeah." Rei nodded.

With the addition of their own outrage, the dark clouds beginning to form and stretch across the sky, there was such a fluctuating stream of emotion hanging in the air…the anger…the intense almost felt completely mind numbing that everyone could feel their ears pop as if they were entering higher attitude spaces.

The source was exhilarating among them…they were all angry, they were all outraged, there was some that overstepped the other, and they were all marching with a sole objective, but their own heart-racing motivations were low when they compared it to the will that was burning in Saeko Busujima's heart, from which they felt the cinders of her infuriating grief.

"WE HAVE TO CONTINUE." Saeko protested to the idea.

They may have been able to comprehend the pain previously expressed by Rei Miyomoto due to her captive father, but the essence of Saeko's untameable, savage psyche continued to grow rather unstable and yet…only one truly understood how that insanity came to be.

"Takashi…?" Rei whispered as Takashi could feel his heart skipping a beat.

"Huh…?" Takashi trembled. "Oh um…N-nothing…" He said, trying to shrug off the overwhelming fear.

With the uncontrollable feeling of anger flowing in the air, Rei deemed it appropriate to try and comfort and encourage Takashi so that they may be able to triumph, but she stopped herself when she heard a loud thunderous clap from the distant, approaching dark clouds.

Likewise, the same attempt for sheltering one another occurred amongst Kohta, Saya, and Asami but yet, Saeko appeared to reject any form of intimate support. Confused with her, they looked at her with the utmost concern and she only responded by saying, "I am exercising my independence."

And right after that, it was blatantly no secret of what she whispered afterwards…

"…Akio…"

Too obvious…

* * *

Finally free from those powerful and compelling illusions, Rin transcended from her dream life state, just in time to gasp for air, giving her the need to put on her helmet once more to allow her built in, mechanically functioning respirators to pump air into her body. As the mask sealed shut, she stood attention to her master, now entering the room to see what his apprentice has done to his former apprentice.

"RIN. I see that you disassembled the concrete barrier in his conscience."

"Yes master." She said through her mask, a robotic voice vocalizing her.

"But I see that he is refusing to undergo the mutation…"

"I acted as you instructed master. I have failed to trigger the compounds that you placed in his body years ago."

"Unfortunate..."

"Perhaps we could mechanize him just as you have done with me?"

"No…I need our…Darth Yuudai to be one hundred percent man. One hundred percent flesh and bone, combined with our enhancements of course."

"Mas-"

"ONE HUNDRED PERCENT. NEED I REMIND YOU ONCE MORE THAT THIS IS THE ONLY TEST SUBJECT WHO HAS BEEN ABLE TO SURVIVE THE INFUSION PROCESS WITHOUT TURNING!"

Darth Rin, mesmerized by her master's rage and assertiveness, looked at Akio's stillness of suffering, then back at Shido.

"Yes my master…"

"Good…Execute the next set of instructions."

With a slight tug with his calling to the Force, Minister Shido released Akio from the restraints, causing him to fall face forward to the ground, making a grunting noise as he made impact, weakly gagging out his own blood while Darth Rin watched, almost feeling a wince of cold calling down from deep inside of her, as she could feel a part of her older entity leak for a mere second.

"Yes my master."

Rin held her breath as her own master, the man that turned her into this…thing…this machine, glared at her, with the heat of superstition burning in his eyes.

_"You can't ignore me forever…You know what's going to happen."_

From behind that mask, she trembled just hearing her younger, pure, enlightening self, the Mizuki she used to be, call out to her inside her own mind. She even heard it once again as her master left the room for her to attend to her next task for attempting to find the trigger for Akio's full capability to finally transform and convert him back to the depths of the Sith.

_"You're really going to go through with this? This is the man you love! This is the man you vowed yourself to and he vowed himself to you! Do you really want to see him suffer until the rest of time? Your master will not hesitate to dispose of you like the rest of the failed subjects!"_

No hesitation, just pressuring focus, Rin dragged Akio by his leg as he felt the cold, metal ground tear at his skin as the friction played its role, forming bloody scrapes as he was hastily dragged down the dark hallway. He could only squint and make out the tiny details of the place he was in. This was the place…it was the same as he remembered.

The tunnel shaped metal walls with pipes running along the wall, the incandescent lights that dimly lit up the area, followed by the aluminum made pipes that ran across the top of the ceiling, accompanied by vents at the side. Akio saw a door, marked in Japanese inscription that read: **_TESTING AREA._**

He was thrown inside, onto his stomach, where he met with the sight of many human beings lined in rows of large test tubes, with the test subjects placed in a sleep induced state as respirator masks connected covered their mouths and water surrounded the interior of the tube.

This room was a place was incomparable to his last visit to this underground facility he was in, which was shelled and buried under the home of the Japanese Minister's political position, where Ichirou Shido can continue to stay in office and yet even now as he possessed the power to build this weapon and infect billions and cripple any resistance, just to flush out only one...and thus have these pour souls trapped behind the glass.

There was…it was…The Force was resonating heavily in the room from the test subjects. And the glass translucent tube containing a woman inside was where Akio pushed himself up using his palms from where he was landed after he was thrown was marked with the inscription of his mother's name, Kurumu Jin.

Rin, in the meantime, could accept the inevitable fate that would soon intersect with her. Even to her master in the present, compared to his original work, she was obsolete and un-wanted. She knew…the time will come when her outdated enhancements will be crushed by the superiority of the strength he has been given and these genetically modified individuals would be the new agents of chaos.

She reassured the unfair truth from the words her master, while thinking about what her own persistent soul essence of light had told her…

_"One hundred percent flesh and bone, combined with our enhancements of course."_

Mizuki was right…he didn't want a passive robotic being such as herself, he wanted an unorthodox superweapon that took the shape of man, and inherited the powers of a Sith Lord.

"There's no need to tremble Akio…in time _they _will call you master." Rin said, choking on her own words.

The silent that ensued perpetuated for longer than she would have anticipated a reaction, even if Akio was unable to move or talk to his heart's content. It seemed like many lifetimes, that the silence persisted in its existence, with the occasional ripple of water flowing through the tube's tanks but then it began to occur very slowly.

First it was body vibrating, then it was light chuckling that transformed and manifested into menacing laughter that appeared to have pierced into whatever remained of her soul, beginning to instill fear, made possible with the Mizuki Muto she tried to obliterate but continued to remain alive as her time with Akio perpetuated. The insane laughter continued, then faded out to a demented voice that sounded more haunting than the devil himself.

**"I AM ALREADY THEIR MASTER._ I_ AM YOUR MASTER."**

Rin couldn't believe her eyes. The results were working and were beginning to take its shape. Akio's skin…it was withering, and yet it was hardening as its shade and color became gray but a cost. The Sith began panicked at the presence of this maniacal super weapon to her dismay and fear…even devoid of any emotion or empathy, she began to quiver as she tried hesitantly to reach for her lightsaber.

In fact, both of her lightsabers…her red Sith blade and the old green Jedi blade she managed to retrieve when her master deployed Akio's mother to capture him. When she reached for her red lightsaber, the green lightsaber managed to be pulled back into Akio's possession. In a single sweep, she raised her lightsaber to defend herself, but it only took one slash for the intersecting blades to knock her over and render her immobile as her respirator popped on impact.

"Master…" She tried to plead for her life as tears rolled down her cheek behind the mask when Akio was atop in preparation to deliver the strike. "Don't kill me please…please…I want to…I-"

From that plead, that oh so desperate plea that spoke of both the voices of Mizuki Muto and Darth Rin with the after effects of her malfunctioning voice box, her vision started to become completely unperceivable. She saw that the Akio she tortured was coming back into focus and the demented inner strength of his Sith self, Darth Yuudai, was disappearing.

Once again, she was reminded of the plea she made years ago before being bound to the mechanical suit she was stuck in…that sense of consciousness and empathy just springing up at the last moment before disappearing for an eternity…that's what was happening with Akio…and if it was to disappear, Rin needed to act quickly before Akio could truly end her life.

With all the strength she had, summoning the Force, she sprung to her feet and put the red blade through his abdomen, now rendering _him _immobile. Struggling for breath, she deactivated her lightsaber, re-claimed her old lightsaber, placed it back on her belt, and then looked down at the unconscious Akio. Her own words haunted her again as she began to feel nostalgia stemming back to the days as Mizuki Muto.

_"This is the man you love! This is the man you vowed yourself to and he vowed himself to you! Do you really want to see him suffer until the rest of time?"_

But alas, for the Sith, there was no time for any form of regret or self-pity as she was still chained to the authority of Minister Shido, her master.

**_"RIN! STATUS REPORT!" _**His voice echoed over an intercom in the room.

"The test subjects are unscathed. Akio's transformation has begun." She quickly responded.

**_"Good…good…excellent…OH SO VERY GOOD! Now…chain him up, this time place him in the duplication room."_**

"But…but…Master…what about the-"

**_"YOU WILL PLACE HIM IN THE DUPLICATION ROOM AND PREPARE TO HAVE HIM CLONED AT ONCE."_**

"Mas-"

**_"DO IT."_**

She felt oh so ever inclined to say no…for the first time in an extended amount of time, she wanted to listen to herself and follow her own conscience and decisions. Surely, she needed a new mask and immediate repair was required if she was going to survive as the Force was not going to sustain her forever.

However…She didn't want to see what the machine would do to him...She didn't want him to die…

And the documentation of that machine's history was an understatement of nightmares even for schemers such as her master. Whatever her master's order were…she really wanted to say no…she really felt like her vows to serve the Dark Side were misinterpreted into a powerful illusion.

"…Yes master…"

The com-link disconnected and she grumbled under her own breath while pulling together all the pain to, this time, carry Akio with her hands, carefully…awkwardly as well.

"…Yes master…don't worry…don't worry…don't worry…" She whimpered.

* * *

It was feeling so close and yet it was so far away. They continued to retrace their steps in order to even walk within the vicinity of Tokonosu City Hall, but there was still so much distance to travel and so little resources at their disposal.

Ammunition was not going to last for very long as they needed to have some instances of repulsion and defense from the ever so aggressive un-dead, that continued to show more signs of eagerness as time went on, increasing in their agility and their ability to resist more attack before being put down.

With the hours spent traversing across the ruined, gory city, the only positives that seemed to have stemmed out of the continuous harsh journey was for the practises of weaponry, more or less for Saya Takagi, Asami Nakaoka, and Rei Miyomoto as they haven't gotten good opportunity for weapon use.

Ever since she had to say goodbye to her mother merely a couple days earlier, she's kept the authentic Luger pistol in her possession to both her convenience and dismay. Whenever 'Luger' was mentioned, Kohta Hirano would seem to go off in a momentary daze, thinking of its history before continuing to instruct Saya how to properly and proficiently hold and fire her weapon. The successful student and teacher roleplay between the two seemed like a rite of passage, and that kept them smiling even in dark times.

Meanwhile, Asami felt really proud and overwhelmed to receive the encouragement she needed to possess a gun even if her original assigned duty resided in the traffic department, something that didn't seem to thrilling or dangerous but now of course, her aim needed to be true when it came to wielding that revolver.

As the only and one of the last Police Officers striding towards the political ruler, she wanted to ensure that justice was properly administered, and the history will not be manipulated for future conflict ever again.

As for Rei Miyomoto…she was just very eager to see her father again, and yet very nervous to meet the father of the man that caused her father to break down in tears and apologize for her education pull back, and cause all of this chaos she and her friends were trying to fix…no thanks to their Jedi that they would die for just as he would die for them.

The M1A1 she had strapped around her waist was mainly used throughout this whole time as a spear, with the use of the rifle's bayonet but as Hirano promised before, he'd tell her how to use just as he had done with Saya.

So that was that…So almost everyone seemed efficient with a gun, except Saeko who still chose to preserve her time with the use of the Murata blade. No matter what they offered to her, she seemed to glare at them, proclaiming arrogantly and insistently that she could only wield a sword and should die doing so.

Where this experience and traverse continued to lead the group, flowing with the adrenaline that came with the thrill of surviving, was just at where they were on that second day of the outbreak, the apartment complex that their school nurse happened to provide them with thanks to the connection she had with someone she knew who was in the military. "Thank God" they thought, then and now. Now was a good time. They may not have been as concerned or as afraid of rain as much as the un-dead that filled the streets, but they naturally wanted to take shelter with haste.

With the gray overhead clouds finally caught up with them, and the rain mercilessly hitting the ground, followed by gratuitous lightning and thunder, they were inside. When they got inside, they did not expect to find what they found…it was someone they were expecting to see later…

"Is that Shido…?" Takashi gasped as he squinted in the dark apartment.

Sure enough, instead of City Hall, they found him here, in the center of the living room. Koichi Shido…Mr. Shido…tied to a chair that was pushed against the wall and was passed out. So many questions to be asked…How did he get here? Was there anyone else here?

"Hands in the air! Don't move!" A woman's voice echoed from upstairs.

Slowly, everyone raised their hands in the air, avoiding as little contact or grip of their weapons as possible when they heard a gun being bolted back.

"Drop them…"

They could not see from the shadows of the apartment who was ordering them, but they still complied out of their desire to...live…possibly fight their way out of this situation, or at least try. Strangely, none of those feelings seemed to have surfaced as much as a sense of trust and security. It was feeling, an instinct that was tugging at them, telling them they should know who this person is.

Still unseen, the woman began look over the weapons. It didn't take too long to notice the Itacha shotgun, the AR-10 sniper, and the M1A1 rifle to finally speak.

"These are mine…Hmm…My locker was broken into with a lightsaber…There is no lightsaber here and yet you were here…"

It came as both a surprise and a revelation to the group. Without a doubt, they knew who this person was now.


	27. Chapter 27: Pursuit of Origin

Even if they were now starting to see the familiarity and relationship with this person who was claiming ownership of the weapons, they needed to feel absolutely certain for confirmation. It was because of their absent school nurse that they were able to take shelter in the apartment they currently stood in, and yet they would find that it would once again offer them refuge in the intensity of the brewing storm that was both the conditions and the enemy.

"So…" The woman snarled as a bolt of lightning crackled from outside. "Some young high school kids managed to find my small armory…I remember my friend telling me that this place had been overrun…that she managed to move on…strangely enough…I don't think high school kids could have taken my Humvee. You all know who I am referring to? I know you do. Where is she? YOU."

"Uh…uh…" Asami stuttered as she tried to quickly comprehend and respond. "My new superior officer."

"And…?"

"H-h-h-he is looking after her and she is helping to treat the injured."

The others honestly felt as though they could not sit idly by while they watched Asami try so very hard to break her timid nature in order to take care of the unneeded clashing conflict before they ran out of time needed to break their loved ones free at the heart of the pandemic they were so eager to travel to.

The person delaying them was only mildly impressed, showing little to no empathy or care for the timid officer failing to improve her mood. She, as well, had an objective and she could not afford to waste any sort of time in her already deserted apartment, with the wind picking up as it felt like the roof could be carried away at any moment. Like the students in front of her however, this objective was a personal crusade to be dealt with.

"We do not have time for this!"

Of all of them, Saeko was the one who forced herself to come forward to give it all she had so that this rather futile dispute between them could end soon. Even if it was so dark, from the flash of lightning, she saw that the muzzle of a small pistol was faced dead center in her direction. Everyone else stayed silent before they could protest in her move.

"Identity yourself young lady...careful now…I am not ready to give you back your sword. Name and affiliation."

With a straight face and the utmost courageous will to swallow the unsteadiness that she felt trembling throughout her body, she faced the shape in the dark with her most intimidating and convincing glare.

"Saeko Busujima, former student of Fujimi Academy. Former Kendo Club leader."

The intimidation was overwhelming and Saeko could feel her stomach churning and her head pounding. She was starting to loathe the feeling, but it's what was keeping her on her feet…still…her thoughts and heart only centered on Akio, and the pain was the regret she's had when it came to keeping her feelings to herself…

How she wished she could see him at least one more time…

"Busujima. Good." The pistol was lowering and the gun's safety handle was switched on, allowing Saeko to let out a breath. "I think I may have been in the wrong detaining you at gun point but I need to be sure…State your prime objective parameters."

"To put an end to all of this…" She murmured softly.

"Repeat."

"We're putting an end to all of this!" Saeko cried as convincingly as possible. "We are punishing the ones who have started this disaster!"

"And how do you believe you are pulling this off without a Jedi? Where is your Jedi? After all, the only Intel I received from this poor teacher here points to a young man who went to the same school as you." The woman went over to the restrained Koichi Shido and tilted his still head back. "Coincidentally, the documents I have received and what I have been told from this man, all intersect one another. Subject: Akio Jin."

Hearing his name again, they felt a cold chill wince down their spine. Their caution remained levelled, and they continued to listen to what she knew about their friend.

"One of the highest ranking academics of Fujimi Academy student…and yet…secretly alleged to the disbanded Jedi Order under the guidance of his family...whatever's left of it. You all know his name. I feel as though you do not trust me yet, but you are willing to test that trust...So what will it be?"

* * *

The Duplication Room…such a dark, dark origin behind its marvelous and yet precarious existence.

Many souls have both rotted and labored under its manifested influence of a vision long sought to be pursued for the hopes of an employer to have an unorthodox, unconscious military force that would bend to the will of a single man.

Even for a mechanical abomination as cold hearted as she was, purposefully and forcefully manufactured to be so, Darth Rin could still tremble and wince when the thoughts of the sacrifices made for such a project came to mind as it became more difficult for air to flow through her respirators.

"…For-g…For-gi…Forgive m-…"

Every minute, even in the silence of her taking every step, the lingering pain persuasively continued to surprise her. This pour tormented soul she held in the shield of her grasp, asking his captor and torturer for repentance, seeing her beloved Akio Jin…this boy that she struggled against so many years ago to free…she could not let go of the memories and the emotion despite the best efforts made to lock them away in the darkness.

Every second, Darth Rin was slowly beginning to chip away.

Slowly, but surely, the person she was born to be was coming back into existence, but not yet. There was just so much manipulation that still needed to be undone, and there was a steadiness that she needed to reach before she could possibly steal herself for the moment when it came. For now however, she had to the very thing that her master sought for her to do: follow his orders.

Rin glared at that sphere shaped machine. In order for it function correctly, a subject needed to be placed inside the large glass tube that would seal shut, allowing for the machine to thoroughly identify and analyze the matter placed inside so that the organism can be replicated into a copy of itself.

That was the intention many years ago, but on every single test subject, animals and humans alike, results have been abysmal. No matter how many people burst into a horrific display, no matter how much trial and error was attempted to get the machine to work, it never has produced the results originally anticipated seventy years prior by research divisions in the Japanese and German regimes in the time of the Second World War.

The one's who were alive to possibly deliver the truth to people suffering from the current pandemic were Mizuki and Akio. On the other hand, Darth Rin and Minister Shido would not allow it, and would not have any remorse of eliminating them if necessary.

Such history needed to be shared, archived, and exposed, but the records were scarce and buried under deep humiliation. First by the fall of the Japanese Empire and the Third Reich, then passed down to puppets, falling into the hands of a politician, along with young pupils.

Whether it was the test subjects or the higher ups of the classified research divisions that continued to pursue and tinker with the old projects from the disbanded groups under the orders of Minister Shido himself, they, like the scientists before them, could not have dreamt such visions and intentions on their own.

There needed to be a betrayal…there needed to be a…outsource…

Whatever had been sought for, the present offered Akio Jin to be its next victim and the former Jedi was front row center to view his death sentence as the capsule sealed shut with him placed inside.

From behind the wide viewing window, Akio had his eyelids sealed shut while Rin placed her palm on the glass, giving him one more glance before departing to proceed with her proper maintenance for her suit but first, there was something she had to do but she wasn't sure if it was the proper thing to do.

"May the Force have mercy on my soul…" She whispered in a croak, clutching her hand and placing in the center of her chest.

And from there, she continued to trudge forward so that she may recuperate. The concern for her long-time friend was tremendously increasing her unstableness. Her legs twitched, and her body ached. It was so easy to just give up, lie down, and wait until the pain was over, passing on to death, but that time could not be yet…It was too soon.

**_"Rin…repair and ready yourself. Once you are finished, report to my quarters at once and we will begin the cloning process."_**

Once more, over an echoed voice bouncing off the walls, Rin was encouraged to obey and heed the master that intended for her to serve him. She would have responded, but did not find the strength to say anything. It didn't really matter, he already hung up the inter-com.

She still has time.

* * *

Fortune and unification would shine down on Takashi and the others, along with this…soldier, not just any soldier though…

Her profile, when she was finally ready to open up to them, was astounding as they needed to recall what they have been told first by their nurse.

The_ friend _that Shizuka Marikawa had initially described? The Special Assault Team member? Owner some of the weapons and Humvee they obtained previously? It all fit together perfectly...almost too perfectly.

Officer Rika Minami, all that she really needed to say about herself was that she is of the most elite snipers in the S.A.T, and if they could stay on her good side, they would have smooth co-operation and they wouldn't have to come face to face to her orchestrated and swift shot from her preferred PSG1 sniper rifle.

They figured that meeting this woman would have been near impossible, but yet they were still able to cross paths with her, even if the first encounter was far from negotiable or comforting. The insane teacher they loathed (more or so by Rei) Koichi Shido, casted the first impression before they were held at gunpoint.

Now comfortable and trusting, they sat down all together, with Rika keeping guard of her own weapons while she made the apartment's visibility more feasible with burning candles placed around, so that the tiny flames may offer them light in the shelter they had, while keeping in mind that they only needed enough light so that they may not attract any suspecting lurkers trying to breach. Regardless, it didn't matter. The rain was already stopping anyone from seeing anything, and most that were walking the streets were the un-dead.

Now it all came down to discussing what they were all up against. Officer Minami had some further, intriguing information for them all, and she genuinely requested that they would assist as well, in return, get their friend back and then some…they won't have to keep wishing for it to finally happen, and those repetitive thoughts may at last be put to rest.

They can go.

They already had their reasons.

First things first, they had to listen for her reason now…even if that reason was just a military order with a pinch of a personal grudge.

"He has already made all of you aware of what had occurred I would assume. How much has he really told you all? Must have been hard for the poor guy…"

"He was kidnapped as a kid." Takashi mentioned.

"And he lost someone close to him, someone I also had the privilege of knowing." Saeko chimed in.

"We all did…" Rei murmured quietly while letting out a grumble.

"I believe that we are on the same page then…?" Rika inquired, nodding her head lightly. "Okay good, but this is where it gets a little more…_complicated." _She then curled her palms in a fist, the crackling becoming so gradually present. "A lot of soldiers died for this and I've already payed my respect in silence! No more." Rika took a moment to exhale slowly and relieve the tension that was building up in her head. "I want to get back out as soon as possible so let's make this quick…Let's start at the beginning for our Jedi. Akio Jin at five years old, at approximately twenty one hundred hours on December twenty first on the year nineteen ninety nine-…"

"Akio's birthday…" Saeko gasped quietly as thunder once again clapped in the skies outside.

"-His mother was murdered in cold blood trying to get home to her family on that stormy night…or that's what was claimed…She wasn't actually trying to get home, she was trying to use the storm as cover to run to take her son far, and she had already made it out of Tokonosu. And his father...? Let's just say the plan didn't exactly work out as they practised."

Silence persistently to triumph in the room as the group listened closely to not only recap and recuperate the information they have been told from Akio. So far, it was all sounding too familiar.

"Akio's father would have initially taken point in Tokonosu City, just scanning the area to detect any premonitions of any pursuers, using what the Jedi used to call 'The Force' as you may know. Akio himself at that time tried his best to keep up with his mother, but it still happened." Rika, once again, struck the tied up Koichi Shido with her fist. "THIS. PIECE. OF. SHIT. He fucking did it. He did a hell of a lot more too."

Rei, outraged even more of what atrocities her arch nemesis had partaken in, felt the urge to resist the twitching feeling of finishing the job right then and there, while thinking that she should have pushed Akio further to kill him back at the Takagi Estate when they had the chance. Rika glared intensely at her so that she may be encouraged, and slightly intimidated, to remain sitting.

"HEY! I know you want to kill him, same with you Busujima! I see you both. You look like you're ready to cut his throat or make him bleed out slowly do he can die a painful death but not yet. I'm not done with him, and he's not done. He has a lot of blood on his hands, but guilt always finds a way back to the surface and I have a small hint of hope that he can make amends even with his own life. For now, let's be patient, okay?"

With the infuriating heat still brewing strong in Rei's soul, she had the support beside her from her friends. Just one simple pat on the shoulder from Takashi would be enough to put things at ease for the time being. That wasn't to say that the other spectating group members were completely cool either to what they were hearing, but they could still maintain their posture as they continued to soak in and expand their understanding of the predicament.

It was far from smooth sailing. They thought they had been told enough, but enough was just never enough, and enough was never the crucial hundred percent.

"Now…" Rika sighed, ready to continue. "I am certain that you are all aware of the name Mizuki Muto, but none of you really know how she came to be do you? The intelligence officers I worked with were unable to determine the origins of her conception. There were no parents, it was just out of generosity and…Jedi agendas…that she ended up going home to the Jin family that same day, on the brink of freezing to death. Strange isn't it?"

The silence continued to persist, and the group nodded their heads lightly, unsure as to how to comment.

"The rest, I am sure you know." Rika said with certainty. "She's the reason he was able to escape, against his will and yet today she is the reason he was going back. I am aware of a couple...well..." She glanced specifically towards Rei. "One other incentive that's drawing us there. I can't promise anything, but we're either going to die, or we're either going to win. I myself already have seen too many names inscribed on too many tombstones, dying for this...this...thing..."

* * *

With much of the dark and hardened shell of Darth Rin struggling to keep afloat against the arising consciousness of Mizuki Muto, it was strange for that will to suddenly bend and break in an instant. It was as if Rin saw for a moment, her other self standing in front of her, shaking her head in disappointment as Rin sealed herself back into that suit and re-initiated the respirator. It's as if the breakthrough for the chance of Mizuki Muto's return was snuffed out completely. Just without a care left in the world, back to being the robotic, mindless slave as an apprentice.

Before she sealed herself shut in that suit one more time, she, under the will of her former self, released Akio's mother from her test tube once more. Acting on her own independent will, she took her son's lightsaber and readied herself to stand guard in the Duplication Room. Darth Rin at that time couldn't really understand why she let the broken picture of a mother torment his soul again, but in a few moments, as she was on her way herself, she remembered why.

**"I MUST TAKE THE KNOWLEDGE! IT WILL BE MINE."**

Once again, Darth Rin had to prepare herself to hold her ground and fight the twisted being that had manifested within itself in Akio as sirens began to erupt around her as red lights blinked about. Surely, even with all the skill she could muster, she was still nowhere close to matching with his unparalleled strikes, under the influence of his inner Sith, mixed in with the twisted desire to retrieve the origin of the darkness that ensued. How could such a relentless drive be put to an end?

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Okay, okay, it's all coming to end soon...it's all coming to end soon...**

**I would like to properly take a moment using the power of this computer, keyboard, access to the internet, and this site to thank everyone for deciding to come by and click on this story just to come and possibly take an interest in what I tried to do, or just stopped by and read a little and then left. It's okay. As of today, July 18th 2016, we have reached the whopping view count of 22,400! **

**Sincerely from the bottom of my heart...**

**THANK YOU ALL.**

**Thank you for your criticisms.**

**Thank you for the conversations I got to have with some of you.**

**Thank you for the encouragement to pursue this story's ending.**

**I will never forget the time I have shared with you all on this site. I will make sure of this by giving this story, after over a year and a half, with a couple revisions, the proper conclusion it deserves.**

**Goodbye for now everyone and I'll see you later.**

_**~Buffalo.**_


	28. Chapter 28: Down, Down, Down

There was little to no effort needed in order for him to pursue the twisted compulsion that had consumed Akio Jin's very soul. The invigorating adrenaline that relentlessly flowed alone made him feel as though his very heart would burst within his chest, but also he felt that the blood would continue to pump even without a heart to sustain his body so he may once again be exposed to the very core of the hidden depths within.

Akio's well-being and centered thoughts were stemming far away from the modest and disciplined self he had typically been, as he focused more so on vigorously cutting down the opponents that took the form of mere machines so the master may come in afterwards, so he may give Minister Shido what had been coming to him for years.

More so, he was nothing more than a wild animal, craving the flesh and blood of his pray and goals as a bloodlust relentlessly persisted. Whatever Shido has sought to do to enhance him, make him succumb to the darkness, it was working well…too well…The machines that attacked him may was child's play even if he was not under the influence, but there had yet to be a true test for these powers.

The only thing that seemed to be well intact was his desire to bring him down, give him everything he deserves for ruining his life.

His family, his loved ones, and the many families out there and the many people he's fed off of and crushed under his own mighty rule and authority…all to seek out even more power…it was the very thing that enraged Akio further and kept him under the relenting march of rage he was ensuing. Even if he himself was being consumed by the very evil he sought to come to terms with, as it would never purely decimate, it would never fade.

The misbalance was the constant clash of light and dark, seeking control of the young boy that had a lot of potential for a fruitful future, one where he could follow his own dreams and goals without having the burden of the past nor the burden of trying to repair a fractured world weigh him down.

All of these goals and desires to set things right and end the conflict that would restore order to the world engulfed by shadow. Like the world however, those desires were so easily manipulative to the point where Akio's wish was mended into a thirst for vengeance and power rather than liberation and sustainability.

He may have been unique, surviving the experiments and finally beginning to wield its full potential, but at what cost? How much more can he really gain in this transformation before he would being to lose some things once again as the cycle in his history continued? What more could he come to soon regret as the result of his actions? Could he even have the ability to comprehend regret as his vision was further clouded by the dark side and sight of balance continued to slip away?

"AKIO!"

Such questions could soon come to pass and the answers…they were not so distant or far away from revealing itself as Akio was almost one step closer to fulfilling his recent call to action, but that functioning sentimental part of his mind forced him to stop and perhaps take encouraged him to take a few moments to realise what he was doing while being held by the flaming torch of guidance, or to ignore the fire and snuff it out for good.

"Do not go in there!"

**"…Mother…" **Akio spoke in a monstrous growl, recognizing her voice. **"Where were you…?"**

"I am right here son! Listen to your mother! You do NOT want to enter that room! You do NOT want to take what's been kept in there!"

Even if she was meant to be the authoritative voice of reason, the voice of compulsion, the voice of manipulation, that strong will was soon challenged as Kurumu saw her son rigidly turn her head to the point where he could only see half of his face and one of his eyes, illuminating bright red.

**"My Mother died many years ago from the wrath of the Sith's greed…" **Akio snarled, ignoring her every word as he shifted his body to face her. **"That greed has now infected my Mother's body and mind for so many years…and my Mother is foolish to believe that she is can persuade her own son long after his dependence for her has long passed." **

"You're such a smart boy Akio…" Kurumu commented. "I want you to be powerful, I want you to be-"

**"This artifact…this dark matter, it is going to be mine. Once I am through killing you, I will gain what rightfully belongs to me! Shido will pay for his crimes and I will rule as the new future! IT WILL ALL BE MINE!"**

"This is my child…"

**"MINE! MINE! MINE!" **He continuously roared repeatedly.

"This is who he was meant to become…?"

**"MINE! MINE! MINE!"**

"Shido what have you done?"

**"He made a weapon…a weapon that he sought to control but…HE WAS WRONG!"**

One lash out at his foe, and in a few seconds there was the illuminating collision of red and blue clashing together as Mother and Son were met face to face. It was heart aching that they had to clash as adversaries to try and subdue or kill one another rather than to test each other's skill with a lightsaber in a friendly spar as family…and it was all for something so scarce, so fragile, so destructive…

"YOU CAN'T HAVE IT!"

For a rather condensed hallway, both would still be able to proficiently fight to adapt to their close quarter encounter. Akio, with the embers of his anger and his fury burning ablaze, oversaw and influenced the progress of the duel.

As infused and consumed by darkness as she was, the eyes of her son, glowing bright red with the enraging energy still burning, seemed to poke through that thick hide of a corruption that had been forged and implanted even if that corruption still implanted in her began to shake its faith and its control over the host.

**"I WILL NO LONGER BE RESTRAINED. I WILL NO LONGER BE SILENCED!" **

She was not able to react swiftly enough and found herself in an undesirable situation and folly position. After a few more minutes of struggling to fend for herself from Akio's unparalleled attempts to knock her off balance, it only took one more vertical slash to for her balance to be challenged as the lightsabers collided. Akio took his weapon again, and aimed for the lightsaber once more, this time, swinging it vertically to the left, causing Kurumu to lose her grip on her weapon. With both arms, her right hand grasping onto her lightsaber, pushed back over to her side, Akio took this open opportunity to sustain damage.

She could sense that this battle was over and she was met with defeat. She gasped and winced, anticipating and bracing herself for the pain to flood her body. First he created a burn wound across her torso, and then he jammed the blade through her stomach, impaling her, whilst feeling little to no regret as it felt blissful for his victory.

To celebrate or to congratulate himself was in order. He could not afford to waste any more time than he had already. It was time to retrieve the knowledge he sook to gain, the power and forces he would soon be met with, it was beyond that door.

When he proceeded to breach through and enter using his lightsaber, something began to dawn on him. The power that had already been awakened and was currently coursing through his body could be the key instead of using a tool to force his way in. Instead, he decided that he would give his new found strength another application and test.

Akio began to grip the edges of the door's sides and readied himself as he planted his feet on the ground tightly and pulled. With the amount of external force he was applying to this door, metal began to creek and rub against the steel as the door slowly began to rip out of where it had been drilled in. Nearly inside, he soon felt alert to a rush of pain, as he looked down to see the red blade of a lightsaber puncture through his stomach.

Barely howling in pain, and strangely, barely able to feel the burning sensation in his gut, he swiftly acted and attacked his foe. With the Force surging through his body, he gathered and summoned the energy to create a pulse of telekinetic energy to send his opponent flying the opposite direction, with the lightsaber deactivating on the floor behind him.

Clutching his teeth and exerting painful grunts, he looked down to see that his mother had once again, tried to achieve victory for Minister Shido, but had miserably failed. Slowly, whilst putting pressure on the big gap that had opened on his stomach, he reached down to retrieve the lightsaber that was used to wound him.

The sensation of nausea began to flood and taint his senses. He could feel that same invigorating rush he had felt since he had burst out of that pod in the Duplication Room with mere strength from the Force alone. But now as that same rush prolonged, mixed in with the damage he had just sustained and the willpower to keep himself on his feet.

When the ill-bearing sickness began to settle in, Akio's hearing began to degrade and he could hear nothing but the up roaring sounds of haziness and the un-clear sounds of his mother's voice and the up-roaring alert system. Not only was his hearing beginning to tear away, but his ability to even use his eyes and see anything was following suit.

Before he had to retrieve what he had come for there was one last act that needed to be carried out. With quick haste, he pushed out his right foot out to his front and balanced himself out using his left, so he may drag himself forward to finish off his foe. The lightsaber he picked up was then activated. Just looking at that red blade was enough to make him itch all over and almost in a way persuade and pressure him into giving into the pain but regardless, he persisted and quickly did what had to be done.

When the blade delivered the death blow to Kurumu Jin, the ringing in his ears perpetuated and he dropped to the floor, next to his mother's body, stopping himself from giving out using his palms and knees.

The pain was just so irritating and disgusting.

His eyes were filled to the brink with tears, his body had been drenched in sweat, and his inners urged for him to gag. He could feel the chunks of what he had coarsely spat out and he could feel it on his palm…the blood…his blood…he was losing his energy. He still wanted what was on the other side of that door.

With whatever strength he had left, with fierce determination, he clawed and crawled forward on his stomach, stride by stride, feeling the cold friction on his flesh as his uniform seemed to tear with each passing crawl. Every time he felt as though he was getting closer, he could feel as though the arms he was trying to drag himself with were peeling and melting away, unable to compensate for the commands of the conscience to control the body.

_"…Is…Is the end…Is this the end of my journey…? Mi-…Mi-…Mizuki…Mom…Dad…I…I…No…I can't…I cannot die now…My friends…No…No…No…Saeko…"_

And then...the cold and upbringing sensation of the taunting from the man who had taught him to churn and use the Dark Side of the Force came slowly. He just...he just needed to gain that satisfaction of slaying his enemy so that he may die in the slithery embrace of vengeance and liberation...but that satisfaction would be one of heartache, would be one...unobtainable.

"There. There. Don't be so upset my apprentice...everything is going to be okay. I will dispose of your mother's body properly. I cannot and will not promise and assure things would go your way but this is mine. Do you see this in my hand boy...? You want to grab it, you want to take all of this power for yourself but I cannot allow it. This facility is mine. This world is mine. I am...truly sorry for how things may have turned out, but I will make things right...I WILL make things right. You and your friends will see soon enough, but we just need to wait for their arrival. "


	29. Chapter 29: What Do You See?

Countless and restless time going by, escorted by the astounding and most profound soldier left alive in the city while having the displeasing, and sickening feeling of an accompanying enemy forced to their side. After further examination of that information, the name of the perpetrators of chaos and destruction that plagued the world, just looking at his face was enough.

With Rika Minami's presence, Koichi Shido has been able to stay alive for the time being. If it weren't for her, he would not have a chance and he would have already met deaths cold embrace.

The group was still very cautious, keeping a close eye on him with much skepticism. If they didn't know any better, he would have lied to them all about trying to actually make up for his crimes, even if it did not seem possible to repent for such a long term and devastating disaster.

For all they knew, Mr. Shido was going to do something when they get to City Hall so his father may take care of the rest. It could have been a trap but that was the least of their worries. All that mattered, all that rested on their shoulders now, was what they would do this moment forward as they inched ever closer to the belly of the beast.

It had been hours ever since the heavy downpour that engulfed the city had soon passed and the formation of puffy gray clouds still hung overhead, reminding them of the weariness of the environment that has become their city they continued to stand foot in.

Covered in water as a result from the most recent rainfall, the streets still had a degree of water soaked into the concrete and scattered about. They could care less about submerging their feet in an occasional puddle that could be high enough to cover their entire foot, popping up from time to time. But as fluent and ever-lasting their motivations were, fueling on their energy, they had to acknowledge their mortality.

In those countless hours, they had to fend off from those walking corpses still aimlessly roaming the area. Getting closer and closer, it seems that the sudden attacks became more and more intensive, testing their ability to repel them so they would not succumb just as those poor people have.

If the march were going to efficiently continue they needed to rest, as Rika Minami proposed. It was already unbearably strenuous, and their clothes were being stained and riddled with stains of blood more than ever. They tried not to complain or tremble on the sight of blood on their clothes, as they were no strangers to killing or gratuitous violence. Regardless, Rika Minami reminded them all in the most respectful, scornful, and firm way.

"SUCK IT UP."

There was still so much more distance to cover, but rest was still needed. They managed to catch their lucky break knowing two things.

One: The close they found shelter in had a feasible defence to keep them out although they were less trying to break in.

Two: They were close to the waterfront. Not only did they have the possibility of contacting the remainder of the Self Defense Force, but they could also see Fujimi Academy from the roof. City Hall was close.

Officer Minami, with the use of some efficient and functioning binoculars, sat atop the roof to overlook the city which is when she managed to spot Fujimi Academy. There was no time to dwell, but the sight of that school again felt very nostalgic and it made her smirk, thinking of old times.

She could always just leave the binoculars in the hands of someone else she thought would be very willing to do so. Saeko Busujima seemed to be capable and eager enough, compared to everyone else, to look onto the sights of the city and perhaps take the time alone to think to herself. Rika was far from incompetent when it came to reading and observing people's body language and attitudes.

Even if that long, relenting walk that seemed to kill more time than they could count or track, they spent more time killing rather than opening up to one another. It had already been done before they left, but they could so once more. If it had to be the last time, then it was their chance to speak before they would go in and stir up trouble at the heart of the pandemic, ultimately risking their lives in the face of death.

* * *

The pain was difficult…Akio's traumatic knockout had left him unable to perceive anything. It was an uncomfortable feeling of being aware of one's own unawareness. Little did Akio know he was subdued and caged up completely, finally. He was finally cornered with no way to escape the hell he had resided in.

Despite being trapped in the deepest and darkest holes, there was a means for escape through his connection with the Force. Now that his yearning for wreaking havoc have been put under control, being forced into a sleep inducing state, it's as if the very essence of his soul was leaking out from his body and drifting away.

For there to be another episode of flourishing power for Akio would be impossible for the time being. Those dark powers lay dormant for the time being.

Though put into a sleep induced state, he felt conscious in his state of mind, once again stepping into a familiar place. All around him, was a realm empty and cold, and the distance of where to wander seemed infinite. Once again, in this…figment of reality within his own mind, he could sense a presence.

_"You have toiled and you have fought, but yet you see yourself cornered into the disposition of defeat." _

Firmly lifting his fists to his chest while breathing in slowly, Akio then exhaled as he pushed his fists down towards his stomach while still keeping them at a minimal distance from his body. In doing this, he shut his eyes closed and placed himself in a concentrated posture, allowing himself to sit on his knees and have his fists placed on his lap.

To listen to the words of his grandfather's mentoring lecture once more. He braced himself to heed his wisdom so he may once again, continue to forge the path he had strode down so far that it was irreversible.

_"Open your eyes for a moment grandson. What do you see?"_

"…I…I…" Akio choked, rigidly opening his eyelids. "I…"

_"What do you see?"_

An image that was no more still that Akio Jin currently, revealed itself by manifesting itself through a visible crack Akio was able to perceive in the endless void around him. It was himself locked inside yet another containment chamber.

"My prison…" Akio sighed.

_"This is where you currently reside. This was the consequence of a premature decision that YOU put ruthful faith in." _

The unremitting cloud of regret ascended painfully upon Akio. It was rather peculiar and frightening for him to feel no pain residing from this regret, as if he had been invulnerable. Swiftly though he found that the cloud that hung over him was a legitimate cloud ready to begin the downpour, even if that downpour would be an illusion.

Everything about this still felt all too real.

"GRANDFATHER!" Akio yelled as he could hear the crackling of lightning above. "WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN TRYING TO TELL ME?!"

_"You are far smarter than this. You know how your father had taught you. There is no try. What I have told you is something you already know by heart."_

"Grandfather…" Akio groaned, his frustration building. "I cannot-"

He ceased himself from speaking ever further. Another image manifested itself into view.

_"You have many steps after that first step."_

Staring aimlessly onto Fujimi Academy, watching the abysmal moments of the times he spent cast off from his fellow peers, watching himself ruggedly make his way through his days without any joyous effort put forward in his routine. Even in the present, when the luxury of reporting oneself regularly to an education was long forgotten, it was rather depressing to watch himself stride through every day without real purpose, real nurture or care, just too slowly disappear.

Even with the significant mark he had left in Fujimi Academy in his time, all of that was gone. He was only one amongst the crowd of many. The silent mourning, the questioning, the rumors, they all died down in time. He remembered in those times, just wishing and dreaming of what could have been.

With the Jedi Knights.

With his one true love.

Without the traumatizing experimentation.

"But this was not the first step…This was absolute torture…" Akio shivered.

_"You understand the true nature of your own past grandson. This past is unchangeable but the future can shift from one decision. You made that decision."_

Afterwards, the image began to twist and turn until the Fujimi Academy he knew in the old world vanished and whirled into the nightmare that was the aftermath of the first day, and the dawn of the new world. What projected and played next was _that _decision.

Even with the fear that even his old friends would persecute and ridicule him for not only secretly being a Jedi, but for his absence when he cut off any contact with any of them. He could remember that acceptance, and the journey that ensued from that moment forward, when Akio finally set himself and his friends into the most plausible direction possible.

"There was no escape from this…I had to do it…I had to and yet…"

_"You are imprisoned by your former master you refuse to serve. There is something however that you fail to see. He did not imprison you. He did not craft your cell."_

"I crafted my own cell?"

_"You know what I speak of."_

In short time, Akio was shown what he had been not too long before being locked away from any fight. Just looking at it was enough for the return of that dreadful feeling he had felt the moment he had supposedly slain his mother, while she was still under his control. Regardless of her forceful allegiance, she was still a significant part of the Jin family.

In a disoriented matter, Akio hyperventilated and clutched the entirety of his cranium with his open palms while in the realisation of what he had done.

"I was after the artifact…I wasn't-ARGH! The Dark Side…The Dark Side…T-t-t-the…"

_"I understand that we have traditionally taught you to resist the Dark Side of the Force. With much power comes much, MUCH responsibility. An unbearable load of responsibility can consume anyone and make them who they're not."_

Akio continued to tremble, and continued to sweat through the barrage of confusion, peril, and grief that erupted in his head.

_"This power, this strength…I warned you before. There needed to be control. You are paying a heavy price, but you have not failed, nor have you quit."_

The pounding in his head stopped and he his head once more to feel the radiance of warmth shroud over him as he saw what had been projected.

_"Look at her…Even now, they urgently search for you. This is a difficult fight to overcome. They are unwilling to cower out of this, even if you were gone. They are just as willing as you are to set the world on the right path."_

"Saeko…"

In desperation, Akio extended his right palm out towards the moving picture of Saeko standing atop a roof and looking out the cloudy overhead city with a pair of binoculars. He could feel the chills of a light breeze smear against his skin, as Saeko appeared to wince simultaneously with his own reaction, as she seemed to pull the binoculars away from her to stare in his direction.

_"Focus Akio…feel the Force flow through you, and let it…guide you. Feel it…you know your own principles."_

"I am…" Akio croaked, tilting his head down. "I am…Jedi. I am...Sith. I am one of the same, longed for the two to compromise in the middle so there may be no more repulsion in my soul so I may…" He paused and looked up once again, at the image of Saeko, who was still facing the same way. "I may find at least find peace for..."

Unsure of his own statements, questioning the very fabric of their effectiveness and relevance, the barring image of Saeko starting out into the city while whispering and crying for his name soon began to fade away so he may learn of the fates of the others. There they all were, minus the absence of Shizuka Marikawa and Arisu Moresato. He knew not where they were if not with the group, but relief would soon find him as he realised they had not succumb.

Life still breathed through them, it is just that they had chosen not to follow so they may be safe, whilst assisting the remnants of the broken shelter in which Akio remembered to be the last place to see his friends.

Kenji Hisoka's camp at the elementary school…

_"Do you still hold a contempt for that man Akio? Do you feel as though you need to take action to ensure that he may correct a mistake? Do you believe he was inadvertently responsible for your capture?"_

"Grandfather…You had not called me that for a long time…since…" Akio realised.

_"Just as I have come for you in the beginning…as I have come for you in the end my grandchild…Now how do you feel?"_

"I understood the officer's for the Jedi had been misplaced, nor could I blame him. I also feel that I could not blame…blame…"

He could see it right in front of him, the eyes of his enemy, the emanating a long sealed sadness that was in his eyes, replicating the same pain as Akio when he saw his mother die. The light remnants of yellow that was heeding in that person's pupils, showed a pain that was as heartbreaking and shocking as Akio's.

Even there, Akio watched him converse with his comrades, even if he was held at a strenuous level of contempt and hatred, his eyes were as still as his passion.

"Mr. Shido…"

_"Had you not known that both of your fates had been equally traumatic?"_

"I had been blinded by vengeance…" Akio was not afraid to admit. "I had been unable to see. I was so focused on what he had done…"

_"You may have viewed him as a monster, your sworn enemy, but like any monster, chaos lies at the center of their evil and it does not question nor sympathize its influence." _

* * *

There may have been justifiable persecution for Koichi Shido so he may be held responsible for his past misdeeds, and the continuous disruption of order that continued to ensue, but they needed to further the justification if there were to be a truce steady enough for all of them to continue their journey. It was in for his own safety that he listened to the pleading, anguish cries of the former students before him. He did not shy away from the fact that he was the son of one of the most despicable and selfish politicians, and he took part in some one of the most scandalous acts known to man.

They all still held their hatred strongly, and they did not require a soldier to be present in the room to hold him. Rei, Kohta, Takashi, Saya…they were more than capable by themselves. But now that they have exhilarated all of their anger and frustration on the man, it was his turn to share his own motives.

"I do apologize for the wreaking havoc that had been plagued upon this world…I have sinned, and the blood on my hands cannot be washed away no matter what I do…"

Their expressions did not change. They already knew it. He was a bad man, with selfish interests and they've already heard it so many times and they did not need to hear that repeated to them over and over again. Not only that, Shido would get preachy and charismatic at times and they did not appreciate nor tolerate his passion in the past.

"But I am a man who can take responsibility for his mistake, even if it is long gone beyond my mortal control and," Shido focused his sight of Rei. "I do not expect forgiveness. I am far from worthy. My shame is most great, and I am unworthy to stand before you." He then slowly bowed. "I am truly sorry."

It was a radical change in his character, and the skepticism in the room did not depart.

"Takashi! Don't listen to him." Rei snarled quietly.

"Why would I lie to you at this time Miyomoto?!" Shido questioned with alarm.

"We all know what you do!" Rei growled. "You're just trying to get us to let our guard down so when we get to your father's facility, you'll lead us into a trap when we're not looking!"

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" Shido began to snicker uncontrollably. "AH, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA! Have I taught you all NOTHING?!" He grumbled with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Yeah!" Kohta yelled. "That you will keep lying through your teeth just so you can what you want!"

"All I wanted Hirano was to be a teacher." Shido retorted. "I never meant to cause any harm, which is why I left my father to pursue a teaching career!"

Feeling rather upset about discussing anything much further, Shido stumbled, but steadily and slowly tried to leave the room with the sharp edge of a bayonet poking at the back of his neck.

"Let me tell you all something, something I hope is not forgotten. The only reason I am not standing at my father's side right now is because he has taken more than he has given. To the country he pledged himself to lead. To me. TO MY FAMILY. TO MY MOTHER. He's nothing more than a tyrant with a dark agenda. That you can assure yourselves is not a lie."

To hear these words made them stumble for a moment, but they were still looking at him skeptically, being cautious as to what he had said so they could debate whether it was false or not.

"I never speak about my mother's death for a reason. It had only done more harm than good. When a typical husband hears that his wife committed suicide, their typical reaction would be to trip over their own feet and throw their lives into absolute misery and dread, or to make the most out of it. Not my father. Nothing changed with him. He was the same as always. _'Hey son, one day this country-NO, this WORLD will be yours! If need be, destroy the world and rule what's left.' _What kind of father tells that to his son?! What kind of father would threaten the mother of her child just to stay in absolute power?! What kind of father threatens and kills more fathers and more mothers, just to stay in absolute power?!"

With that the thoughts drifting in his conscience finally released, Shido stepped out.


	30. Chapter 30: Prey Awaits

The long road ahead of them was only embraced into the solemn emptiness of silence that remained. For scars and memories to linger after the stinging had long ceased was something difficult to embrace. The once prospering streets in the surrounding areas of their school were still fluttering with the Sakura that continued to shed its leaves long after the bloodshed had run its wave of mayhem.

Once again being around the perimeter of Fujimi Academy had brought them all momentary solace, until their memories were washed away with the shock that had come with the unexpected events that had taken place, leading them up to this point.

For a momentary breather, they stood staring aimlessly at the old complex that was once a significant part of their life. Now a hollow of its former self, incarcerated with the blood and pain of the students and teachers who were unable to escape. It lay dormant as yet another part of the city, serving as another reminder to what was once there.

"I remember this place…" Rika nodded her head lightly while grinning lightly. "It has been too long however but it seems for some of you guys, this place is still fresh in all of your heads."

"Yeah…" Rei sighed.

"Miyomoto…?"

Even if the school was a place of memory that was commonly shared amongst the group, Asami Nakaoka had no distinct connection to the school. Regardless, she was not ill-sighted nor oblivious to that overwhelming sense of grief that had been spread in the air.

"…I…I'm sorry…" Asami spoke hesitantly. "I did not mean to disturb y-"

"It's all in the past…" Rei recited in a slurring matter.

"Rei…" Takashi whispered while sighing and putting his hand on her shoulder.

Asami felt alarmed for a moment she felt something weighing down on her shoulder, in which she turned over to see Saya Takagi staring at her in an assuring way.

"Leave them alone for a little bit." She advised, taking her hand off Asami's shoulder.

"…Um…" Asami sighed.

She looked over at Takashi and Rei silently…Rei was bawling her eyes out and Takashi only stared at the campus, more specifically towards the roof with an expression that appeared rather unreadable and blank.

"Nakaoka!" Rika exclaimed.

"Y-Y-Yes ma'am!" Asami said while tensing up her posture.

Observing Rika Minami, Asami watched as she saw her kneel down on one knee while placing her weapon down and closing her eyes.

"Take five." Rika exhaled.

Nervous, Asami frantically paced as she looked around her to see if any of those walking corpses were approaching. She could hear those groans of pain from those people who had no choice but to walk the earth devoid of any purpose other than to consume and destroy any life that persisted in its will to exist.

She knew that she had to stay calm no matter what.

"Asami…" She heard Kohta's voice. "You can relax. It's okay, we're all here."

Looking over towards Kohta, she smiled and that pressure seemed too slowly disperse. She motivated herself to keep herself from having outbursts in response to her fragile ability to cope with the pressure. Putting her own weapon away, she interlocked her hands together while tilting her head down.

Asami was soon calm, by her own reminder and appreciation of continuing to remain human, alive and breathing. In silence, she thought of her old superior officer that had previously instructed her. She thought of the people back at the mall. Whether if they had been killed or if they had been able to survive was unknown to her, but she still wanted to have a bit of faith that they were still alive and safe.

Lastly…She wanted to pray for the safety of the young Jedi Knight she had the honor and privilege in encountering. If she had not encountered Akio and his friends, she may have still been stuck in that mall waiting for death, or someone else, to find her.

As her eyes opened she was once again met with the sight of the Sakura trees on their path continuing to drop its leaves as they were carried off in the wind, much like the echoing groans of the un-dead. When the perpetuating silence amongst them continued, Rika was the first to speak, the first to rise.

"You know what we _should _do…?" Rika inquired as she checked her weapon. "Once we're done with Minister Shido, we'll come back here and clear out any of those walking bastards who are still inside! Just make it our own personal place to hold out in, settle down for a little bit."

In response to her proposition, Koichi Shido adjusted his glasses and rubbed his chin.

"Hmm…Yes, I approve." He said in a validating voice. "However the task is far from done. Carry on as we must, we will never forget and neither will the children."

The young students appeared somewhat weary and tense. Despite all they had been through and survived, did Shido still consider them as young and immature? Was it meant to be an insult?

"We'll be sure to record history correctly this time." Rika reassured. "NOW. ONWARD."

* * *

With the odds still tipped in his favor and the probability of fulfilling his power accordingly, he eagerly stood looking out at his city from within his office high above. To him, the sight of Tokonosu City practically in ruins, void of life was absolutely beautiful. It was the delightful feeling of irony that made him snicker as he continued to wait.

It did not matter what his former apprentice had told others, and it did not matter if they were going to try to stop him with their so mortal, frail power. Disappointment reached him however. It seemed rather traitorous not just as a man with supreme authority, but a father as well as a master.

His blood…his flesh…his offspring…chooses to side with the weak. Always had, and always will.

He had foreseen this many years ago.

"Ah Koichi, why must you fight it…? Ah well. You chose your side. Hmm…"

Shrugging his suit from any tiny fragmented particles that would have latched on, he further contemplated even if it was not necessary.

"Miyomoto…Ah Miyomoto…tried to reveal my true intentions, and yet he failed, and yet here his daughter comes. Takagi…he had been a good asset, and good at keeping classified information classified. Ah well, at least his daughter is still loyal. Hmm…Komuro…not much of a special snowflake are you? Just fighting and continuing to fight…noble. Noble indeed. Ah Busujima…learned well from her father, and here she comes to fight for the Jedi she loves dearly. Very respectable, very honorable. I await your arrival my friends. You may enjoy the facility while you can still draw breath."


	31. Chapter 31: The Evil Within

The long and treacherous journey had finally come to a close. They say that the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. The beauty of that first step is initiating the desired destination to come. The many steps that followed after that first step would have been the impeccable judge as to what ultimately awaits at the end of the journey.

The journey may have seen its conclusion, but the destination itself is a gamble. It can be neither predictable nor welcoming, even with the steps that had been a convincing stride forward.

This was it...

The destination was an old haven. It had intersected with many souls, whose journey had either ended regretfully, or had begun triumphantly. Beginning…Ending…they were just two point of views with the same outlook on result and outcome. There was so much pain, whose echoes have been dwelling in the dark depths and have surfaced. There was hope that it was time that the gap sealed shut, and the echoes within would cease in rest.

If there was one thing that the young fighters would have hoped to achieve, if claiming victory was not an option, was at least to die with each other. With each other, they hope to die with the last one they eternally considered a close friend they would never abandon.

In all honesty the ones who have personally crossed paths with Akio Jin appreciated him on a mutual standing point, both in times of study and times of survival. On the other end, hearing of who he was, yearning to get the opportunity to finally encounter him, appreciation was still imminently obliged and gratuitous. Rika Minami would get her chance.

* * *

Inside City Hall, an ominous feeling loathed about in the air. It was shivering to see that in such a significant housing of the political essence of Tokonosu that it was void of anyone who would debate and keep track of the city's predicaments, proposing action to be taken.

Instead, there only remained the hollow shadows of the men and women that had worked there, in which they were to be put down to rest ferociously and quickly, but yet silently. Ammunition was to be used sparingly.

At this point, they were taking the liberty of following Rika's orders. When she had been briefed with the knowledge given to her by the Self Defense Force, she was armed with the knowledge of the facility's whereabouts within the complex. In plain sight, it was right there.

"Everyone, get in." Rika ordered.

An elevator lift was still operational. It was rather weird for it to be so. The power should not have been functioning, but another source was still able to keep the elevator lifts power stable. They just had to accept it and continue moving forward while resisting the urge to turn back. Unsettling as it was, they persevered.

"One more leap of faith." Rika stated, closing the elevator door.

When the door slid closed however, the space inside condensed was felt far less roomy and rather unbearable. Them realising just how much they reeked of blood in that enclosed space. Other factors of there being a bit more then desirable count of people was also rather less than desirable, in addition to the weapons they still had to use to fend themselves with.

"EVERYONE! Be quiet." Rika hissed.

The elevator panel, there was a key code that could be interacted with below the other buttons for all floors. It was time for her to see if the code she had received via interrogation was worth it.

"There is no time to waste. Punch in the code!" Koichi exclaimed.

_59048320_

"This BETTER work."

"What if he gave you the wrong code?" Takashi questioned.

"It means we're either going to die, or his father already knows."

**_"Access granted."_**

"OH. HE KNOWS…" Koichi grumbled.

Rather eager, their hearts jumped as they felt the elevator lift jerk itself before descending slowly. Up at the front, closer to the door, Rika held her sniper upwards perpendicular to the body. When the elevator announced the arrival to their desired floor, the muzzle of her gun was pressed forward and she crept forward cautiously before determining for the others to follow.

All around her, there was nothing to spectacular to the eye. From a couple feet outside the elevator, it was just a small, dark hallway that seemed to curve its way into another corridor up ahead. With the minimal light shining down from above, she could see pipes were spread across the walls. Along with that, the ceiling also had pipes that were extending and going on for long distances, stretching out to countless areas yet to be explored.

"All clear." Rika announced.

Not facing the others while crouching, she twirled and rotated her right arm in a circle up high, while extending her index finger, followed by her hand closing to a fist. Reaching at her side to pull out her pistol from her holster, she strapped her sniper over her back and turned on the pistol's light.

"Okay, everyone stick close to me and do exactly what I say. I'm going to divide you. Miyomoto and Busujima, you'll be behind me. Nakaoka and Hirano at the back. Komuro, you will be in the middle with Takagi. Any discrepancies? This is the best formation I can place you with for now. Alright good."

Everyone felt an incurable shiver, gradually beginning to build and build as they strode along the dark corners of the underground. They were not in disagreement with how she had divided them amongst themselves in order to cover each other. It balanced out and made the distinct divide between firepower and close quarter limitations.

"And before I forget…" Shido found himself shoved in the front of the group when Rika grabbed his collar and threw him. "You should know this facility inside and out. Let us not forget one other thing…your father trained you in your childhood, had he not?"

"Yes he had."

"And you're more than capable of handling a connection with _the Force?"_

"The Force?" He skeptically inquired. "I have neither honed nor headed its power since I was as young as these students."

"Well maybe it's time to start now!" With her gun pointed at his head, she swayed it slightly to the side as a gesture. "Let's go. We're not just going to continue to wait around to die."

Recognizing the futility of his anger, he chose to obey peacefully and escort them as requested. Momentarily however, he paused, hearing a click from the gun pointed at him.

"Officer Minami…why would you choose to ask now if I have recently dedicated myself to my early teachings? Why not before?"

"I could honestly try to give a damn about you at all." Rika bluntly admitted. "But if I was going to give you a chance, I wanted to see if at least one piece of your past with your father can resurface for tactical use."

"Tactical use?!"

"Take it as a compliment and keep walking forward. Let us know if there's anything or anyone coming to get us." Rika said with a glaring wink.

In an extensive sigh, feeling somewhat disappointed and underwhelmed by the irrational consistency of aggression that continued to be presented to him. In his mind, aggression, anger, it was not un-natural given the circumstances.

He had tried to suppress and control any anger that festered.

He thought he had been fair and honest upfront with these people.

And he thought that he had endured enough contempt and persecution.

Koichi Shido damn well knew what he deserved, and again could he blame them? No. Could he blame himself? No.

"Ah, ah, ah." He taunted, wagging his left index finger.

In a few seconds flat, faster than a heartbeat, a bullet in its mid-flight was immobilized point blank in his central view as it was intended for that bullet to crack open his skull and pierce his brain. What happened instead was that he proceeded to prove the motivation that had exerted from a soldier.

With his right palm open and pointed in the direction of everyone else, they were unable to move a muscle or even twitch. He slowly walked forward, grasping the bullet in between his middle finger and thumb, flicking it towards the wall. His frown seemed to slowly mend to a grin as the sound of the bullet dropping rung across the enclosed area.

"I know none of you can tolerate me. I can understand that." He began. "But I can tolerate all of you but NOT THE OVERUSE OF-"

He tried to resist the accidental occurrence of injuring one of them as he shivered and winced. He had not felt The Force surge through his body as intensely as it had. It was overwhelming and he was on the verge of regret. Nevertheless, he continued.

"As I've said before, I am far from worthy to receive forgiveness. I have been co-operative and I am willing to continue our alliance. That _cannot _be done with your unrelenting barrage of violent contempt that you hold for me and I can no longer be silent in the depths of hell. I ask…just this once, since I have been unable to do so previously, let us please put our differences to rest so we may leave here alive with who and what we had come for. I know the way…and I would prefer that you do not rot away here, in this place, just as many others had."

* * *

With their resolves still desperately holding itself together, Koichi Shido and the others managed to keep their grueling levels of rage minimal and Shido had continued to stay true to his word. As they had gone further and further, driving them deeper and deeper, the first batch of anything awe-striking or peculiar they were anticipating had yet to reveal itself.

At this time, they could get the first dose of what further lay ahead in the facility's underbelly with some useable tech that had been shielded from the Electro Magnetic Pulse that had struck the city previously.

In 'The Security Office' there was a terminal that was hooked up to an array of small monitors stacked up one over another, fastened securely to the wall. As they squinted to try and get a better look at what as to what was being displayed on the monitors from the security footage.

Before anyone went ahead of themselves to lay a finger on the control panel, they awaited for confirmation...

"You going to give us an update or are you just going to stroke your chin?" Rika hastily asked with a hint of annoyance.

Watching with anticipation and caution, everyone looked onto Shido as he carefully stared at the control panel, deep in thought. It felt like a never ending silence would perpetuate for eternity, but he soon came through and began to interact with the panel.

"So if I may address the issues at hand once more…?" He spoke, not facing them. "We have a police detective, a young Jedi Knight, and a Jedi Master to save from my father's custody."

"Can you find them using the terminal?" Rei anxiously questioned.

Shido seemed to stop for a few moments and turned his head slightly without fulling shifting his body.

"Yes Miyomoto, I will find your father." He responding in an assuring matter. "I can also see where Akio and his father are being held as well.

"…Thank you…" Rei seemed to mumble out incoherently.

Saeko could not help but notice Rei's rather transforming attitude. Ever since they had re-united with this…despicable excuse of a man, and that despicable man has tried to prove his allegiance to them, she could see the contempt in Rei Miyomoto's eyes slowly fade away. To try and decipher what she had been feeling, Saeko turned to the advisement of Takashi.

"…Komuro…?" She whispered.

At first, Saeko could see Takashi glance over to Rei as if he needed to seek approval before temporarily setting himself away from her side, but she soon saw her tilt her head a couple times in gesture. From there, Takashi finally approached her and they made their best attempt to privatize their conversation in whisper as they were still close to their comrades.

"Saeko…?" He murmured, hesitant to speak. "Are you alright?"

"I am alright Komuro…" She sighed. "How do you feel about Miyomoto's change on perspective?"

Takashi sighed in response. "It has been strange to see her…start to feel bad about him you know…? You've seen what he's been trying to say. I think he's actually trying to help us but...it _is _still too early, even if we've come this far. Saeko? How do you feel?"

"I can't help but think to myself that even if he is trying to make amends, there is still much chaos burning strong in his eyes. Those…eyes…"

"…Saeko…?"

"I've seen that look before…" Saeko explained. "The feelings I see in those eyes match Akio's."

"…Are you alright Saeko…?" Takashi asked with concern, grasping her hand.

"Understand Komuro…when Akio fights, he fights with a heavy heart. When he trains, he trains with a heavy heart. I remember this….even if he was loved…the past had not been kind to him, nor Shido."

"It hasn't really been for all of us." Takashi shrugged.

Just as they thought they were done talking, Shido seemed to make them jump when he announced something so sporadically.

"I GOT IT. Everyone please! Do not be in such a rush! Take a look and pay close attention."

On the monitors, Shido had re-routed and selected for the screens to show some file logs rather than security camera footage. The catalogue for prisoner names was rather…extensive. There were many names that could be scrolled through, going as far back as the late 1930s, but three only mattered to them now, in the present.

"If I may!" Shido exclaimed, scrolling through the names.

For every prison log in the file, there was the person's name, their time of captivity, and their status. In red, most of the names were marked as **DECEASED **and in blue **ALIVE.**

"Take a look."

They turned their attention to the screen again to see the emphasis that had been put on the names of four prisoners to view more easily.

_Name: _**Mizuki Muto**

_T.O.C: _**August 20, 2011**

_Status:_** DECEASED.**

_Name:_** Akio Jin**

_T.O.C: _**September 24, 2012**

_Status:_** ALIVE**

_Name:_** Tadashi Miyomoto**

_T.O.C: _**September 22, 2012**

_Status: _**ALIVE**

_Name:_** Kurumu Jin. **

_T.O.C:_** December 21, 1999**

_Status:_** DECEASED**

_Name:_** Juro Jin**

_T.O.C:_** September 22, 2012**

_Status:_** ALIVE.**

"We already know she's gone." Takashi commented with a frown.

"The records do not lie, it is true but-…"

"Is Mizuki Muto dead or NOT?!" Rika questioned harshly.

"…No…" Shido grumbled quietly. "Something much worse happened to her than being met with death's embrace. You're not ready to hear the terrible craftsmanship that had occurred."

"So she's alive?" Rika inquired.

"Not as pure flesh and blood…" Shido coldly responded.

"What does that mean?" Kohta wondered. "Is she a zombie?"

"Incorrect." Shido said. "You will not see the same face you knew years before. She is trapped within a capsule, walking about as a mechanical being rather than a human. We have little time. Follow me."

"So that's what he meant…?" Saya wondered. "He told us this back at my house. Remember guys?"

"That's right." Saeko acknowledged, frowning as she recalled what had been told to her. "But we cannot begin to comprehend the torment…"

"Regardless Busujima," Shido began to interact with the panel once more. "There's a slight chance that we may encounter her…the mechanized abomination that is…" He turned her direction. "If we do find her, her memories may be intact. I suggest that you cut away at any personal attachment or affiliation you had for they will cloud your judgement and she may use them against you."

"…Understood sir…" Saeko sighed in a slow exhale.

Shido continued working on the panel, switching over the initial catalogue of prisoners to an unlock authorization screen. While some screens remained blank, some screens lit up and displayed names of specific sections in the facility.

To name a few:

**"M.R.D: Mechanical Research Development."**

**"T.A: Testing Area."**

**"S.I.A: Subject Infusion Area."**

**"W.R: Weapons Research."**

The one they were searching for was somewhere that could 'give clear indication to Akio's location' according to Shido.

"Locate Subject: Akio Jin." Shido murmured aloud as he typed. "Prisoner Tadashi Miyomoto. Prisoner Juro Jin."

**_"Processing request." _**The computer voice resembled that of his father. **_"Access denied. Secondary username and password are required to proceed."_**

"…God this is taking forever…" Rika frowned as she snarled.

The username and password were entered…everyone held their breath.

**_"Acknowledged…standby…access granted. Warning, multiple hostiles detected. Biohazard threat imminent. Security Personnel remaining: Zero. Do you wish to re-initiate lockdown protocol? _**

In a hastily matter, he proceeded to type in the command but first looked back at the others to see if at the very last moment, they would back out. He nodded, respecting their will and nature to venture deeper.

**_"Acknowledged. Proceed with caution."_**

* * *

Their hearts raced and they strode slow. They wanted to make sure they stuck together so they could continue to cover each other with whatever enemy they would need to get passed to get to them. They all soon realised however, that there was nothing to repel or fear when it came to the task of rescuing two fathers.

The underground hallways may have continued to appear dark and gritty, devoid of any light or any joyous feeling, but they did not cower out and shy out.

If the information that had been given to them was correct, Rei's father was in the same general area to that of Akio's father. When they arrived at the Interrogation section, Rei had begun to frantically panic in a most anxious yet cheerful way. She was almost relieved and happy to be able to see her father once again, but she was still caught up with the hopes of securing both Akio and his father as well.

To her luck, her wish was granted and she could breathe a momentary sigh of relief. With the cell door opening and her companions waiting outside, she walked in.

"Rei…? Is that you?"

"DAD!"

When her father's restraints came loose, Rei let loose her weapon, and bawled as she nearly jumped towards him, her arms wrapping around him tightly.

"Rei." Her father split up from the hug and faced his daughter. "Are you alright? Who else is with you? Is Komuro…?" The very man he wished he would have expected to stay with his daughter approached. "KOMURO!"

"Hi…" Takashi greeted.

"…How were you able to get into this facility?" Tadashi questioned.

Rei took a moment to compose herself and wipe her face off from any tears, then tugged her father's arm to come and look for himself.

"Detective Miyomoto…"

"…Shido…"

With their past oppositions still fresh within their minds, both men locked eyes as they glared at each other. A police detective such as himself could not forget the one case that had him defeated and on his knees. He still remembered the pain of facing his daughter to tell her that he was unable to crack the case before anything happened to ruin the progress of his daughter's education.

"He got us in here Dad." Rei explained.

Scanning his eyes amongst the group, seeing who was present and trying to identify who he knew, he walked forward to greet the soldier he saw that stood forward.

"Self Defense Force Officer Rika Minami. It's an honor Detective." She said.

"Thank you for looking after these young students." Tadashi bowed.

"Actually," Rika glanced around them. "It was a Jedi that kept them alive, not me."

"…Jedi…Jedi…" Tadashi murmured, mesmerized by thought. "Master Jin! His son is here as well!" He exclaimed.

"What are we waiting for?!" Asami questioned.

Tadashi looked over to the young police officer, noticing her shake with nervousness and peril, she was re-affirmed by the warm smile that was shot at her.

After a nod, he rushed forward ahead of them and Tadashi burst into a light sprint towards the cell he could recall that held the captive father of Akio Jin. When he opened the door and rushed over towards the man trapped in the restraints, he began to worry eagerly and he shivered.

"He's not looking good…Someone help me quickly!"

Unlike Rei's father, who had been restrained and left without any fatal injury, the Jedi Master was not as fortunate as the Police Detective. He was still breathing, but he was hardly active nor alert, acknowledging their entry with a weak groan.

Carefully, Juro was let down from his restraints and he was lay down carefully on the ground for Rika Minami to step in with Tadashi. Everyone gathered around and observed from a distance and they hung their heads down and stood in silence, awaiting any response that may come from Akio's father.

"Master Jin! Master Jin! Talk to me! Come on!" Rika implored.

There was a distinctive pressure that spread itself throughout the air as they waited and waited…but finally, he raised an arm in a rigidly fashion, and pointed his hand in Saeko's direction. Keeping herself stable, she knelt down and faced him directly. With much respect she felt for him, she refrained from shedding any tears while thinking about the hardships he's had to endure as a father over the years.

She thankful that she knew the son that he had been trying to protect and train for years and she felt sorry for the losses he had to both endure and witness.

It was a distinctive honor to be in his gracious, yet incapacitated presence.

"Ho-..." He spoke weakly. "Holocron...artif-...Akio..."

Slowly exhaling, trying his best to recover. Just speaking was making his innards ache and his chest pound with pain.

"Busuji-...ma..."

"Yes?" She asked, taking grip of his hand with her two hands.

Opening his mouth once more, he made another attempt to speak, but he soon began to fade away. With the oxygen wheezing out of his body and his eyes closing slowly, he passed out cold. Saeko could feel it...his hand was cold as ice and his face was just lifeless. She let go and stood up as Rika checked for any vitals. In a few moments, she hung her head down and shook her head when she stood back up to face everyone.

* * *

_"Holocron...artifact...Akio..."_

Those three words circled around in Saeko Busujima's mind as she continued the search for Akio continued in the deeper parts of the facility. Concentration was an order that needed to be taken. They all found the "hostiles" that they had been warned previously about. The groans of the un-dead once again met with their ears. Most of them were dressed eerily similar, with some wearing research coats with security clearance badges attached, while others wore an outfit that seemed to match the terminated 'Security Personnel.'

It was between them and the group that would determine the fate of Akio's freedom. There weren't too many at a time and they appeared to be split up far away from one another.

"I will charge ahead." Saeko volunteered. "Mr. Miyomoto...be ready..."

"Are you sure-?"

Interrupting his train of thought, Saeko unscathed her katana and reassured her words once more with a thorough nod and a glare, to which Tadashi seemed to approve. She readied herself and launched herself forward. With the tenacity of the blade and her precise elegance, she aimed to strike at the head.

With the first three zombies visible, she swung her blade vertically, killing it instantly. With the next two, she recollected her own stance and they fell dead with two more strokes. Finding time to reinvigorate and concentrate her stamina once more, she struck the next one approaching through the gut, the blade being perpendicular to her backside. While the zombie was momentarily immobilized, she reached with her right arm while gripping her katana with her left hand. She reached for the pistol that was holstered and strapped onto the former security guard, then tossed it over to Tadashi Miyomoto.

From then on, Saeko did not restrain herself and went completely ballistic in her attacks. From up ahead, the rest of the group stood in surprise with the sound of her sword slicing through their flesh in consistent rapidity. Every single zombie, dead. No one had to waste a single bullet...and the blade was unscathed.

"Very impressive." Tadashi complimented in astonishment.

"Akio is just up ahead. We're almost there...! WE'RE ALMOST THERE!" Saeko snickered.

The door slid open and they saw that only one pod was present in that small room. The viewing frame to peer inside so that they could confirm was covered in mist. Saeko approached the pod first and wiped the mist away just to see who was really inside. Sure enough, she could confirm...

"It's him..." Saeko gasped.

"Is he dead...?" Rika wondered, inspecting the inside for herself.

At the side of the pod, there was a control panel specified for its functionality. Feeling rather eager and emotionally rushed, Saeko reached out to open the pod but when they all least expected it, all but Saeko was flung across the room smashing into the wall rendering them momentarily disoriented. The sound of a respirator seemed to pierce through the air with its mechanically resembling flow, followed by the fiery echo of a lightsaber blade.

On the other hand, Shido was the first of the rest to himself off the ground and shake off any remaining fatigue. He put himself forth in front of Saeko, and encouraged her to stay behind him while he confronted the approaching 'abomination' as red light poured in from the weapon.

"Lord Rin." He greeted firmly.

When she looked over Shido's shoulder, eyeing the almost completely non-human entity that was approaching them she felt her body trembling and her blood freezing, she felt horrified...distraught...she was starting to realise it. _That _was supposed to be Mizuki Muto? That black suit and that haunting mask showed no resemblance to the girl.

"Please...do not call me that..."

When that robotic voice fell upon Saeko's ears, she felt incapable of holding back any of her tears and charring emotions that made her eyes water and her body itch. She could feel the pain and sorrow that had recently consumed the conflicting Sith and it made her cry more.

"Busujima..." Darth Rin set her weapon aside for a moment. "Please release him. I want to see him one last time...one last time...give this to him."

From those hands, concealed by the fibers of a black glove, Saeko glanced at the familiar objects being presented to her.

"Busujima...Saeko...I entrust the remembrance of my former Jedi legacy in your hands. When you let him out...I want you to allow him to kill me with his saber..."

Having moved her arms halfway before accepting the lightsaber, she ceased midway and stared at her with refusal.

"Mizuki..."

"I want you to look out for his well-being in the flesh...all I want is peace..."


	32. Chapter 32: Coming Home

As the pod leaked out any sealed air that had been encased inside of it, from the slight amount of puffy fog, Akio lay unaware and ignorant of his own resurfacing. It was fortunate for someone who cared for him spread her arms out and kept his limp body upright.

"Akio…?" She trembled as she silently whispered. "…Akio…? No…No…"

After witnessing the death of his father, Saeko did not want to see and feel Akio slip away into death's slumber. Putting him down gently, Saeko felt her stomach churn as she held the cold, practically lifeless hand. It happened so fast, but she did not want to see Akio die, repeating the same experience in their times of parting.

Saeko could feel her eyes filling to the brink with tears as she lay her head down on his cold chest. It was as if any desire or motivation to stand tall faded away graciously. She could feel her strength and pride diminishing, dying with the last true flame of the Jedi spirit. Any hope that would have resided in her aching heart, the burden of that hope dissipated and she felt trapped in a state of sorrow that may prolong until the end of life and time.

"Saeko…"

That voice…it was enough for her to feel her to be taken by surprise. Before taking a glance at him, she could feel her heart skip a beat and her lungs give out. This time however she did not lose energy from aching sadness, but from enlightening joy. She didn't lose him.

She took the time to savor her joy, the warm feeling of being held in his embrace, closing her eyes and felt that sense of alertness melt away with the tears after the blink.

"I am so sorry…" She gently spoke, choking on her words.

Unknown to Saeko, Akio was still conscience in his mind even if he appeared to be dead. The veil of the Force and his connection to it had not been severed, making him well aware of making the connection between his own recent epiphany and Saeko's trembling.

"…My father…" Akio sighed. "He is at peace. His soul is one with the Force."

Once again, Saeko found herself dumbfounded. It's as if he had been there when she was holding Juro's hand at the time of his death. It's as if the tears that needed to be shed, the pain that needed to be felt, had already come to pass thus allowing him to cope and move forward. And yet with the stillness in his voice, she could still feel the unstableness coarse through his body through the typical orchestrated beats of his heart.

"Are you okay?" Saeko whispered in question, continuing her struggle to speak coherently.

"Saeko…" Akio grumbled with a hint of bluntness in his voice that startled her. "Give me my lightsaber."

"Huh…?"

Saeko shot her eyes open and pushed herself back to stare into his daunting red eyes.

**"LIGHTSABER."** He repeated.

Remaining compliant to his request, Saeko retrieved the two weapons that she had to drop on the ground when she was originally in mourning for him. His facial expression, his slow and yet snarls of breath. They only indicated the deriving thirst for battle that was needed at this crucial moment. When he stood back up on his feet, Saeko had also begun to notice that Mr. Shido and Mizuki had already departed without her knowing it.

Saeko would soon watch her closest friend depart as well. She was deeply saddened in watching him turn away and she tried to rile up the courage to say one last thing to him…but she couldn't say those three words.

Instead, she helplessly sobbed quietly and planted herself down on her hands and knees, only hoping and praying for this torment to be over whilst routing for his victorious outcome that he deserved.

For now, Saeko needed to do what she could do with any focus and strength that she could muster. She started to walk over to her downed companions and began tapping them, shaking them, whatever necessary tug it took so they could come through and pick themselves off the ground.

* * *

Knowing the very risk he was taking in accepting the challenge that had purposefully been placed upon him in order to lure him in, he approached that challenge regardless of the scheming purpose set to possibly trap him. For all he was concerned, he had his lightsaber, he had full imbuement in the Force, Akio would not waste this one opportunity to face his former master in a duel.

All that stood between him and fighting Minister Shido, possibly even to the death, was one push of a button on an elevator panel to go to his office.

As the elevator carried itself from within its depths to the very top of City Hall, Akio stood still and quiet, able to hear the sporadic pumping from his heart. In addition to the fast heartbeat, the metal door gave him an incentive to reflect, kept accompanied by the sight of his own reflection that stared back at him.

An unsolidified amount of memories, both good and bad, seemed to sporadically roll around in his mind as he continued to stare at his one and only self. Who was really looking back at him? Was he the Jedi Knight that was represented as a symbol of hope for those fighting both in the future and the present? Or was he the Sith Lord that only sought to join in the reformation of the cursed world by eliminating anyone that was working against the flow of the scheme?

He sighed. It was soon just about time and he would soon truly find out if he was going to be one of those two things, or none of them. With the elevator signifying its arrival to the floor, his lightsaber was raised up and he cautiously took wide strides across the floor. Guided by the blue glow that illuminated from his weapon, listening out for anyone or anything, he began to hear weak whimpers echoing from up ahead.

"Mizuki…?"

Maintaining his cautiousness, he felt confused and conflicted as to if he was hearing the accursed voice of Darth Rin or the delicate voice of Mizuki Muto. He would soon be able to get his answer in just mere steps ahead. There she was.

On the ground, appearing as though she had been immobilized, her dark suit withered and her respirator sounding awfully raspy, she could see him approaching and she reached out as a plea and cry for help. With quick haste, he dropped down to his knees and let go of his lightsaber.

"I'm here…" He said soothingly, clutching her leather gloved hand.

Even as her voice came through, free from the disguise from speaking through a voice modifier, he could hear every soft and weak word spoken even through her obstructive mask that still covered her head.

"I want to go home…"

When he heard those words…in that tone…in that voice…his chest began to tighten and his eyes began to water and yet he did not allow tears to escape his eye lids. He hung his head over and tightening his grip, he stood silent and eager, doing what he could to numb the aching pain.

"Kill him…"

When he brought his head back up, he saw the offering of her own weapon as he felt a tense unwavering feeling of dread coursing through her weak hand.

"Fix the world…find…find…"

It soon stopped at the last words…

"MIZUKI!"

It appeared far too late…her respirator no longer functioned, her head lay back, and the cold sensation of her essence slipping away washed over him as her vitals grew silent. Alas, Akio Jin still had a job to do, a destiny to fulfill. Her death would not stop him in his tracks, it would not falter him backwards.

He would continue to go forward even if these last few steps were the heaviest, toilsome steps he had to take in order to face him. Akio glanced at her lifeless body one last time before finally rising back on his feet and finally accepting Mizuki's parting gift and retrieving his own. Even now, when it felt so easy to give in to all of his anger, his dark feelings, the two lightsabers held activated in his two hands.

Red and Blue. Blue and Red.

Just the visual representation suitable for the wavering state of Akio's very soul. Time would be the judge to determine whether the darkness or the light will prevail over one another. And that time to finally determine that was _now._

"So…you have come at last."

There he was, trying to shield himself behind the confines of his large chair that marked his authority as the Minister of Japan. More grudgingly so, the chair's tall back was perpendicular to Akio's line of sight and Shido was right there on the other side, waiting for him to attack as he stared out into the city that resided past his large window.

"I have been doing this for many years _Akio Jin _but NEVER have I found an adversary as persistent and relentless as you. That's putting it in the slightest my apprentice."

Not thinking twice, seeing as though this was a perfect opportunity and an open window…a literal one, Akio channeled the energy of the Force through his palm with the full intent of flinging him out of the window. He was however too slow but the results were still catastrophic and destructive. The floor's structure in which the path of energy unleashed was ruptured, and the chair alongside the desk flew out past the shattering glass.

With very good warning and awareness, Akio stood his ground and listened out for Minister Shido's re-appearance, which he could still hear the sounds of his voice echoing from all around him, speaking softly and firmly.

_"In my eternal quest, overseeing the destruction of the Jedi Order, overseeing preparations for someone with great potential, I have learned many things…things that are of interest to you my young apprentice." _

Everything that appeared to have been there seemed to tear apart, as far as Akio was concerned. The very fabric of existence seemed to alter and shift in an unparalleled level. It first began as Akio could feel himself plundering down a dark hole and landing rather roughly in an empty place void of anything, now disarmed.

Even though the dark ground itself appeared dark and empty and was solid to the touch, the lightsabers still sunk into the ground with a splash, ripples forming as if the weapons passed through a surface of water. Akio was convinced that this was some form of trickery. Akio was convinced that this was a twisted manipulation of the Force attempting to corrupt his perception of reality and trap him.

It couldn't have been done by none other than his former master.

_"I have the answers that you and your family have been searching for. Do you recall? Let me show you."_

Akio felt voluntarily uncompliant to his request. The steps ahead were filled with the entirety of echoes and voices, seeping out from the depths of the past and the exceeding trails of the future. Despite any curiosity he refused to listen or even take a small glimpse as any attempt would have only brought out further heartache and pain. He continued to walk forward with his palms covering his ears and his hands clutching the top of his head.

_"With great knowledge comes great responsibility. It took you long enough to get here. To be honest, I would have assumed that you would have ran over to me just as soon as the collapse of the world began. You didn't. You decided that all you knew, all that you have learned under my wing was just too much to handle for one person. Instead, you handed it out to those you called _friends. _How about it my apprentice? Can you convince your friends to join us?"_

Akio wanted to lash out and just scream with all his might in compensation to the pain, so he may share his disdain attitude towards his propositions. The next time Akio listened to his former master speak his voice was filled with aggravation and impatience, which pierced his ears and made his head shudder in throbbing pain.

_"You still wish to remain ignorant hmm? JEDI?! Is that who you make yourself to be? Is that what your friends make yourself to be? Or perhaps…is it I?"_

Shido's voice soon began to brittle back into its original calm and firm state, which allowed the pain in Akio's mind to be released simultaneously along with the silence that grew from the voices ceasing in their uproar.

_"Let me start over and talk this through with you Akio Jin."_

"Yes…" As if entranced, submitting himself to the Sith, Akio bowed his head and bent down on one knee. "Tell me everything…_Master."_

_"Good…Good…"_

Shido waited for a moment, allowing the cold chill to settle in on his so-called 'young apprentice' before he could deliver the speech that had been yearning for so long to get out. There needed to be a certain degree of assurance that the person he deemed necessary to receive this speech was taking it all in. He spoke slowly but he spoke fluently.

_"I have lived for so long…I have seen many things…I have foreseen all that must be done and all that has been done. The truth is, my time is nearly coming to an end and I need someone to take control of the Holocron's power. One can only hold so much immortality. Everything and everyone confronts its mortal end eventually."_

"Yes…" Akio exhaled. "Immortality…Power…"

_"Of all the many apprentices I have had over the years, of all those young children I sought to control, I finally had an epiphany. It had to be you. I have to be blunt with you Akio, all of you were special but YOU on the other hand...HO! HO! HO! YES…you were the son of the last surviving guardians." _

Those words caught his utmost attention and it brought him back into solid focus of his own state of mind. Akio rose up from off the ground, clenched his teeth and curled his fists.

"Yes…" Akio blankly nodded, expanding on the subject before being interrupted. "Yes of course. My family has been responsible for protecting-"

_"Every single myth and lore that had been passed down generation after generation. This information was not just for every Jedi Knight, nor Sith for that matter. Not everyone knew what to do with the information regarding our…'Origins'…and when I say 'our' origins I mean the Jedi, the Sith, the Force. Everything is stashed away somewhere in one book. It's such a far more precious and delicate thing than our mortalities itself."_

"I am more than ready to further my study with the secrets my family has been guarding for years. It's NOT meant to be read by anyone I feel is trespassing!"

_"Trespassing?! Be careful of what you say BOY. I am giving you the Holocron in return for the secrets the Jin family, as you know, had been protecting for years." _

"Those secrets do not belong to you."

_"Do you even know the little details contained within those secrets? Do you not understand its stupendous value? No…I suppose not…you're still too young to understand. All you have really been shown was just how to construct your lightsaber in the same design identical to that of the 'Chosen One'. The one who was destined to bring balance to the Force. The one destined to draw the line between the dark and the light."_

"I am well aware of the story you speak of master but I am not changing my answer. Those secrets are not yours."

_"If you give them to me, then I will show you-"_

"NO!"

Coming out of the cowardly shell of the shadows, Shido took shape of himself to stand in his physical form, face to face with Akio. In all his glory, Ichirou Shido held an ignited red lightsaber in his hand and wore his properly groomed dress pants along with a suit and tie. Akio's further responses only continued to disappoint him and it was at his own regret that he would need to sweep him away.

Perhaps he needed to hold on for much longer until he could find someone else down the road. He could care less if it would take him another hundred more years. His patience was undying. Shido was a man of patience, along much trial and error.

"I am not your slave." Akio growled, glaring from a few feet. "And the legacy is not yours to take."

"CAN'T YOU SEE BOY?!" Shido exclaimed in an infuriating matter. "There's a lot more that your family possesses other than the key to the past. Much more!" Letting out a sigh as his mouth drooped into a frown, he shook his head and continued to exaggeratedly speak as Akio seemed to rub his chin. "You yourself, son of one of the very last Jedi guardians, don't even know how much value lies in wait. The opportunities that could be pursued beyond the Earth you know...!"

Raising an eyebrow, watching Akio fixated in his silent posture, Shido waited rather anxiously awaiting the response that he was so eager to hear from his 'young apprentice'. From his point of view, Akio appeared to be developing a particular interest in what Shido described to him as the 'world beyond'. From one second to the other, Akio went from rubbing his chin, to flexing his eyebrows up and down, then finally to a slow nod.

"Yes. YES! You see it don't you?!" Shido asked impatiently. "NOW! Tell me what you see."

"A city…" Akio murmured.

"Go on…!"

"An entire planet covered by a technologically thriving city…inhabited by many both extra-terrestrial and man..."

"GO ON…!"

"The Jedi…the Sith…they fight against one another in conflict, plotting against one another to wipe each other out. Two governments…one who's in control…one who is plotting the destruction of the two and start a new…"

"Yes…?"

Overwhelmed by the excessive pressure that squeezed his mind, Akio curled up down on the ground. His muscles ached and his blood shivered. Never had he experienced such a vision so exhilarating nor painful. It was as if he was feeling the pain of death many times in the harboring humiliation of execution, hearing the silent screams of betrayal. When it all subsided, he could barely hear anything besides a buzzing echo that filled his ear drums and blocked out all other forms of sound.

Akio could have sworn he was hearing Shido's muffled voice pass through his incapacitated hearing, but he was unable to interpret anything. Regardless, Akio had already heard and realised what had already been shown to him through the Force.

"If this place truly does exist," Even if Akio was unable to hear himself, he was still well aware of what he was saying. "I cannot allow you to reach it."

Alarmed, Shido could hear the gushing hums of wind crack the air and strode forward with his weapon before anything else would go beyond his foreseeing view of things. Before his lightsaber could make contact with Akio, Akio had already called his weapons out from within the darkness and defended himself. It was his one red blade clashing against the blue and red blades that fended the young Jedi from instant death within his own manifested world.

"If you will not provide me the book's location then I regret to inform you that you will soon meet your demise here." Shido snarled with a hint of threat in his voice.

"I'll kill you before I even say a word!" Akio retorted.

"Of course you should." Shido mused.

Their blades continued to remain locked against one another and both tried urgently to throw each other off their feet. As those clashing attempts perpetuated, something rather peculiar was occurring with Akio. Shido could feel that wind again, and he could feel himself losing his strength and balance, sensing a surge of energy channeling from within. He was not taken by surprise but the force of that surge still pushed him back and left him with scraped marks on the ground.

"There's my apprentice…!" Shido winced in pain as he chuckled. "Arise Darth Yuudai! Arise! Show me your strength with the Dark Side of the Force!"

Staring at his young opponent with vivid focus and confidence, Shido observed the change that had taken form within the strength that churned Akio's body. It was as if the full power of Mother Nature itself had engulfed Akio, granting him full immunity to the intense amount of lightning that was surging through him and out onto the outer core of his flesh.

It was a pleasing sight to see that blend of blue and purple electricity dancing wildly all about Akio's body. So much so that the master was willing to surrender to the apprentice.

"SHOW ME!"

Shido laughed maniacally, holding both of his arms wide open just waiting to welcome the oncoming onslaught that was about to be surely unleashed. Akio summoned the electricity to his finger, allowing the energy to build up and form a ball contain within his palms. When he chose to let go, a round sphere of electricity was shot at him. Upon contact Akio found himself still alive in the flesh, shot back in the true reality, back inside Minister Shido's office.

The windows were still shattered.

The desk was still gone.

His lightsabers were still there planted near his side where he had dropped them.

Akio breathed a sigh of relief and sat himself back up. He had to recuperate after having to experience that peculiar manifested dark place that he was warped into via his own conscience. The affects were still present and his mind still felt rather scrambled, but not completely broken. His only wish was to never be manipulated again in anyone's mind game, whether if it was his own unintended doing, or someone else's.

"Akio Jin."

Curling his eyes over to his sides, acknowledging the announcement of his name coming from a firmly sounded voice from an older woman, he shifted slowly to see who it was.

"Have you come here under the orders of what remains of the military?" Akio questioned as he turned his head halfway, noticing her attire.

"Originally yes." She replied, noticing the one side of his face. "I managed to come across your little band of friends. Didn't you notice me knocked out?"

"I do apologize, I was in a rush." Akio told her, seeing a hand being offered to him.

"Well you sure as hell made a fine mess." She smirked, pulling him up to his feet while scanning the wreckage in the office. "Officer Rika Minami at your service. You're the Jedi I've heard so much about. It's a privilege to finally meet you."

"Thank you." Akio returned the greeting, shaking her hands with his.

In that short time that he shook the soldier's hand, Akio stumbled slightly and began to shiver with jolting astonishment. His gasp was perceivable to the ear, and the sense of shock really showed on his bewildered face.

"Are you alright?"

Looking into Akio's eyes, she still sensed that there was still a lingering sting of pain and grief that was present. She put her hands over his shoulders and continued her gaze, beginning to feel that contagious sensation of pain, having realised where that pain was coming from. She knew she still had a job to do, and the others may need assistance. She wanted to make this moment very brief.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." She whispered, patting him on one of his shoulders. "C'mere. C'mere."

Akio felt rather secure being in the arms of this female soldier that had come to his aid. He was not intolerant nor was he showing any sign of refusal when she pulled him in and allowed for him to rest his head just against her collar bone, slightly above her breasts. Within the rather strong grip in the woman's hug, Akio felt a sense of gratitude and pity directed at him. He then soon began to figure it out…she wasn't hugging him solely for trying to comprehend his own loss and sorrow, but she too needed to be held in his embrace so that _he_ could understand hers…

"Those men and women…those soldiers…they-"

"Shhhh…Don't think about that…there's nothing you could have done…" She whispered, stroking his hair.

It was Rika's turn to be caught by surprise. She was fully aware that one of the most powerful incentive to take this mission in the first place was to stand for the lost, fallen brothers and sisters who had investigated Minister Shido's secret operations previously. She didn't consider fellow members of the Self Defense Force exclusively as her brothers and sisters but she considered all soldiers from any faction that had been sent as well.

What really troubled her was the amount of pressure that Akio seemed to be placing on himself but at the same time, she was mildly proud of him. She was proud of the fact that Akio really wanted to make amends to recognize the agony that had come from those who tried and failed to uncover the truth while he was under Shido's imprisonment. She was however still concerned as to if it was really worth to see someone still so very young to handle this much lingering pressure with little time to even rest his weariness.

'It must have been so hard' she would have thought. She still needed to make sure that Akio Jin was still capable of taking more giant leaps in the very last quadrant of the journey, despite all that she would have presumed he could feel.

"I know that vengeance is not exactly your strong point, I understand that but are you ready for one last fight?" Rika asked him, once again gripping his shoulders. "…For them at least…?"

For a moment, Rika seemed to view Akio's expressions. She could see that his attention was slipping away and he was going into a persistent state of distraction. She shifted her head back to see what he was seeing…nothing was there…

What she heard next only confused her more.

"Goodbye father…Goodbye Mizuki…I will be with you soon…"

Akio looked sad but yet relieved. Did he sense a spirit of his departed Jedi peer finally go free as if ascending to peace? Heaven? She just didn't want to ask and thought it was best to just leave the subject for now. Maybe she'll ask him later.

* * *

Looking into the scope of her PSG1, she scanned the area down in the streets to assess the situation, to see if the others were making it out quickly. What she found was utter chaos and an impossibly unequal battle. It seems that in terms of numbers, the zombies had the upper hand against the others trapped right outside City Hall's door step.

"Okay…what do we got? Holy hell that's a ton of zombies…"

Even worse…those zombies seemed like they were acting more reserved and patiently compared to the ones she encountered before. They looked like someone was controlling them. They were all going in small groups, bit by bit, and Rika had to provide some occasional cover fire for the ones who were in trouble below.

"You got something?" Rika asked.

"He's right there at the front of them waiting for me…" Akio sighed. "I have to end this now."

"WOAH! Where are you going?!" Rika grabbed Akio's arm before he took a single step out towards the window. "You can't just charge at him! And we're up at least twenty stories!"

"Trust me."

Shaking off her grip, Akio lunged out the window regardless and started to hurl himself towards Shido himself with both of his lightsabers in hand. She continued to watch through the scope and found herself feeling rather amazed as to how graceful his fall appeared. Rika couldn't tell whether Akio was scared of falling from such a height, or if he was regretting it, but what she could make out was that he was in complete control of his descent.

She then adjusted the scope and pointed it at Minister Shido, identifying a peculiar looking artifact that began to intrigue her.

"What do we have here?"

In his hand, lay a pyramid shaped that was just as big as the hand it was hovering over. It appeared to glow red in color and seemed to glow with much radiance and vicious power. With the object, Shido appeared rather welcoming with open arms greeting Akio down below when he landed in front of him with a mild boom.

"Okay…What are you up to…?"

Like treating it as if it were a gift, Minister Shido presented the artifact to him and seemed to appear rather forceful about it. She could see them conversing for a few moments. As she watched them, Rika also scoped around the zombies as if they were growing much more anxious to feed waiting for some sort of signal. The next thing she knew, she began to witness the occurring death of Minister Shido as a lightsaber penetrated his abdomen. It wasn't Akio's doing…it was his own…his own lightsaber, his own hand.

As for the artifact, Akio took hold of it as Shido…he seemed to be disappearing. That seemed to be that. The artifact was in Akio's hand and Akio seemed to use that artifact to somehow make the entire band of zombies drop to the ground. It happened in the instance of a blinding purple light that engulfed the entirety of...well…everywhere. The zombies in front of Akio were dead, but what of the rest?

What about the world? What about Akio himself? Rika worried about those things as she remembered seeing Akio struggle when the light spread about.

* * *

It was finally over…Akio Jin's journey was finally over…the last walk he needed to take was a walk that he needed to walk alone…his former master was gone, the bodies that have been possessed and zombified were finally lay to rest, and he was still himself even if he held the accursed Holocron that gave him the knowledge needed to control of the un-dead. The only things he was going to miss out on was when the entire world would soon know his name and the celebrations soon to probably come.

All he needed was momentary time away from his friends and allies to go alone and welcome himself back home. Yes…his house, very close to the water's shore. It wasn't a luxurious home, nor was it the most astounding place, but it was his place he felt comfortable in which to rest. There was pretty much no functioning power, but for now he needed rest that night after the great conclusion of his journey…

He lay in his room, tucked in his own futon. He stared at the clear moonlight that poured into his room and gazed upon the sight of his Jedi lightsaber and the Sith Holocron. Whatever future there was set out for him after this long struggle, he would hope that he would be prepared to face it while in guidance of the spirits that watched over him.

Before he lay his head back down, he caught a glimpse of a transparent blue figure that took the shape of Mizuki Muto as if she was matching her age when she had died in the suit. Despite her ghostly figure, Akio was still captivated by her radiating beauty. She looked really beautiful in the Jedi robes she wore and she was just as beautiful as she was in the flesh.

The figure smiled at him then disappeared into the cold night air right as he closed his eyes, wondering if anything lied ahead.


End file.
